


A Little Fall of Rain

by Mellowyellowdiamonds



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: But lots of drama for our lovebirds before they get to their happy ending though, F/M, League of Assassins - Freeform, happy ending!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-31
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-10-13 07:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 51,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10508934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mellowyellowdiamonds/pseuds/Mellowyellowdiamonds
Summary: An Olicity AU story about a forbidden love within the League of Assassins.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Guys!
> 
> I have had this plot bunny for a while but could never write it down since I seem to struggle with writing anything that isn't campy and silly. 
> 
> This is my attempt at writing something a bit more tragic and angsty which I am pretty bad at, so I'm going to practice with this story! 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

The first time Ra’s issued the order he had protested vehemently, something that only he and Nyssa ever dared to do. Ra’s was their lord, their king. It was simply unheard of to question Ra’s Al Ghul, a man who killed mercilessly and without hesitation. But Al Sah him was Warith Al Ghul, heir to the demon and the son misogynic Ra’s had wanted but never had. 

Ra’s had merely laughed at his protests indulgently, telling him it was time to learn another lesson besides the ability to kill quickly and efficiently, something that he had long mastered. He then proceeded to wave his hand impatiently, dismissing Al Sah-him, indicating that the conversation was well and truly over with no further scope for discussion. Al Sah-him clenched his hands in rage, his angered fueled by the smirk on Nyssa’s face. Nyssa lived for these rare moments when he was humiliated, their rivalry having grown more bitter over the years. He had stormed off to the archery pavilion, shooting hundreds of arrows into the training dummies that day. 

He was the best assassin the League had, his skills only second to those of Ra’s himself. To think that he had been ordered to babysit some child was an insult to his abilities, to his position as heir to the throne. However once Ra’s issued a command it was final and there was nothing to do but carry out the order, which was how he found himself in Cambridge, carrying out surveillance on a young smart mouthed college student with questionable fashion choices. 

Felicity Smoak, the girl whose name meant happiness was anything but happy. She had a chip on her shoulder and was dark and brooding, much like Al Sah-him himself. Dressed from top to toe in black or other dark colours, Felicity liked to partake in various acts of rebellion as a sign of protest against the world. As someone who was used to beautiful gentle women who had been trained to be subservient and to give into his every whim, Al Sah-him was constantly horrified by the sarcastic and somewhat ferocious little gremlin he was forced to watch over. 

Ra’s orders had been to monitor the girl but to ensure that his presence was unknown. Ra’s had shared no additional information, save a throw away comment about how it was imperative that they give the girl time to finish her college degree as she would prove to be more useful to the League once she had finished learning whatever it was that Ra’s wanted her to learn.

***

The days turned into weeks, the weeks into months and soon two years had passed. Perhaps it was the act of watching from afar intently for two years but he began to develop a grudging admiration for his subject. A lot had happened in the two years. Felicity had graduated top of her class. She was a genius with an IQ of 170, this piece of information and the fact that she blitzed through her degree began to shed some light on why Ra’s was interested in her. 

He had witnessed her enter her first relationship, with a dubious fellow by the name of Cooper Seldon. It had taken every ounce of his self control to not put an arrow through this Cooper who he had felt was gutless and did possess a real penchant for evil, unlike Felicity whose darkness was merely a form of teenage rebellion. 

He had watched as that relationship fell apart with Cooper abandoning Felicity not long after her mother died, watched her mourn the loss of her mother, watched her cry for endless hours upon her realization that she was truly alone in the world now and watched her stand up one day and pieced her life together. 

The dark coloured clothes remained, although they morphed from cargo pants and combat boots to sleek and stylish dresses. The heavy make up vanished when she started sending out applications for different internships. Felicity Smoak had simply woken up one day and decided she was going to rebuild her life. She didn’t cry anymore. Instead she went out and bought multiple cheerful plants for her apartment. She no longer looked like she was permanently angry at the world. She smiled at people and was endearingly awkward and charming. The girl was remarkable. 

The day Felicity received her offer to work for Wayne Enterprises after having completed several interview rounds; he received the order to bring her in. He was to bring her in at the first opportunity he got and Ra’s had been specific that she was to be brought in alive and well. Not a hair on her head was to be harmed. 

The news came suddenly without warning and shattered him. Although he had never thought about it and wasn’t about to admit it to himself, he had grown accustomed to the slightly twisted relationship (if you would even call it that) he had with her from afar. Over the years he had checked in with the League, provided missions reports much like his other missions but somehow he had allowed himself to bask in the illusion that this would continue forever. He knew he would never meet her, would never speak to her but some long lost naive part of him had tricked himself into believing that she would always be in his life, albeit from a distance. He had lived in the delusion that he would watch her grow, establish her career, meet someone, fall in love, get married and have babies. 

Instead she was now going to be thrown into their world, a world full of darkness and bloodshed. He still had no idea what Ra’s wanted with her but he knew this wasn’t the life he wanted for her. He didn’t know when it had started, when it had slowly crept up on him. It was probably something small that brought it on. Maybe it was her pouting when she thought no one was looking, her awkwardly endearing rants when she got nervous or her tendency to natter to herself but slowly day by day he had found himself in the predicament of constantly trying to suppress his smiles whenever her heard her speak. As the months turned into years he had stopped fighting that urge to smile about her. He had grown fond of Felicity Smoak. She had done the impossible. She made him smile by merely existing. 

***

He allowed himself to watch her for another three days before he made his move. She had just returned home from a long shift at Tech Village, a part time job she had taken on to earn extra money before moving to Gotham to start her new job in the summer. He had foolishly believed he was going to follow her there to watch her start the next chapter of her life.

Felicity headed straight for the fridge and dived into a carton of mint chip ice cream, a move that made him shake his head with disapproval despite what he was about to do next. The universe was cruel sometimes. Here he was worrying about her atrocious eating habits despite everything that could happen to them.

He entered the room swiftly and expertly, wearing full League gear, his face hidden behind his mask. Only his eyes were visible to her. 

She froze for a few seconds, her face shock with disbelief and fear before exclaiming loudly, “What the frak?” 

It was another thing that amused him about her. Felicity for all her attempts at being an angry sullen youth, had trouble swearing. She scrambled away as fast as she could but not before hurling the carton of ice cream and spoon at his head. He batted the ice cream carton away and caught the spoon midair, leading her to let out another yelp as she started screaming for help at the top of her lungs and trying to make a break for the front door while pitching any items that she could find in her path at him. 

He crossed the room in a matter of seconds and grabbed her firmly, trying to be as gentle as he could while holding his gloved hand over her mouth. 

“Fe-lic-ity,” he spoke quietly, almost a whisper but not quite. “Felicity I am here to help you and if you want a shot at freedom you need to be quiet and listen to me. Do you understand? I will let you go but you need to be quiet. I am not the enemy here Felicity.” 

A mixture of fear and indignation crossed her face when she heard him refer to her name but slowly she stopped struggling and nodded. He removed his hand from her mouth but kept his arm around her waist. He had not watched her for two years without learning anything. Felicity was feisty and full of fighting spirit. He was not about to release her until she had heard him out.

“I am from the League of Assassins. I was sent to watch you since you were seventeen years old and I have recently received instructions from Ra’s Al Ghul, our leader to bring you in without harming you. I don’t want to bring you in Felicity. You’re young and innocent, with your entire life ahead of you. You shouldn’t have anything to do with people like us so I am going to let you go. Don’t question it. Don’t question me. After years of watching you I know you can’t resist a good mystery but you need to pack any items that you value, get the hell out of here and use those hacking skills of yours to make yourself disappear forever. Do you understand?”

He could feel her go limp in his arms as her body slumped into his, causing his heart rate to speed up. 

“It’s my father isn’t it?” she asked softly. “I’m going to be paying the price for whatever it was he owed you people. The bastard was never even in my life and now I’m paying for whatever it was he did.”

“I don’t know,” he answered gruffly but truthfully. The last thing he wanted was to be drawn into a conversation with her. Or maybe he wanted it too much. For years he had never even dared to dream of speaking to her and now suddenly here she was, all soft and warm in his arms, those baby blue eyes gazing at him for answers.

“You know before my mother died she rambled on and on about these bad people my dad was involved with. She mentioned something about a group of Assassins and how it was good that he was dead since it meant that he couldn’t bring trouble to me anymore. She told me that he didn’t leave of his own volition when I was young, that she sent him away because she was afraid of these people he was involved with. When she started talking about assassins I thought it was the painkillers they were giving her making her loopy but no. It’s all true isn’t it? They really are after me.” She shivered suddenly and he found himself wrapping his other arm around her, trying to ward off the non-existent cold.

“It doesn’t have to be like that. You listen to me and you go as far away from here as you can. You leave right now, run away and never look back. I am blatantly disobeying Ra’s and flouting several League laws punishable by death so you have to get out of here, you have to live a long and fruitful life and not let my efforts go to waste. Can you do that Felicity?”

She didn’t answer, merely gazed up at him with those sparkling baby blue orbs and nodded. He let go of her and she silently headed towards her bedroom to pack whatever few precious belongings she intended to take with her. He knew her well enough by now to know that she would be out soon, after tossing all her items haphazardly into her suitcase. 

Felicity re-emerged fifteen minutes later, having changed out of her Tech Village uniform. She was now wearing black skinny jeans, a pair of black sketchers and a green hoodie. He suppressed the urge to smile despite the current circumstances. Green was his favourite colour and he remembered the strange thrill he got the day she brought home that dark green hoodie and started wearing it around the house in winter. He glanced at the suitcase in her hand and couldn’t resist asking, “Did you make sure to take Mr Panda with you?”

“How do you know about Mr Panda,” she raised an eyebrow at him before answering her own question. “Ahh yes, stalking me for two years. I don’t know how to feel about that. Here you are, all tall, dark and mysterious, trying to save me from your hellhole and yet you’ve been stalking me for two years. I don’t know whether to hug you or to be totally creeped out by you.”

“Felicity,” he said, his eyes locking into hers. “You need to go.” 

“But what about you?” she asked, worry evident in her voice. “Are they going to kill you for letting me go? What are they going to do to you when they find out you failed to bring me back? I….I don’t want you to die because of me,” she finished earnestly.

“Just get out of here and don’t worry about me. I have built enough goodwill with them I should be able to survive this. I will handle it.” He gestured towards the door. “You need to leave now!”

“Should survive this? What happens if you don’t?” she asked looking unconvinced, making no move to leave. Even the threat of her life falling apart didn’t deter her from caring about some stranger who had just confessed to stalking her for two years. It was so typical of Felicity. 

“Felicity my odds of surviving the League’s wrath are much better than you surviving capture by them. Now you need to go. Please. Go and live out your life for yourself and for me.”

Before he could do or say anything she sprinted towards him and threw her arms around his waist. 

“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for finding it in yourself to save me. I’m glad they sent you instead of someone else.” She wrapped her arms tightly around him for a moment before letting go. She headed towards the door and waved good-bye, whispering one last thank you before she shut the door behind her. 

It would be another five years before they saw each other again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halloo Everyone!!!
> 
> Thank you so much for all your lovely comments and kudos! I am tickled pink that you enjoyed chapter one so much! It's really fuelled my fire to write chapter two so here it is!!! Hope you guys like it! 
> 
> Cheers

The next five years were surreal with Felicity occasionally questioning her sanity, wondering if it had all been one great hallucination. She changed her appearance, created and lived under one alias after another and changed countries and cities faithfully. However on some days, bad days when she was sick and tired of running, sick of having no friends, no steady job and no roots of her own anywhere she would question herself. Had she simply had a mental breakdown that day and conjured him up from her imagination. Was she merely living in the throes of madness, constantly running from some unseen force that she imagined was out to get her like one of those insane people in the movies? For five years she tried to push that night out of her mind, not allowing herself to wonder what had become of him. After all, maybe he never did exist in the first place. 

She got her definitive answer one day when she returned home from her job (providing technical support at moderate sized legal firm) to find them waiting for her. Perhaps she had gotten sloppy. Perhaps a part of her had given up. Perhaps it was both. She had settled down in a lovely little town, in a tree lined neighborhood under the name of Annabelle Evans and had dared to stay there for more than a year. 

The woman brought backup, clearly expecting a fight, probably expecting her to have some sort of super ninja skills. Her mind flitted to him right away. He was real after all. Felicity wondered if he was still alive.

The woman introduced herself as Nyssa Al Ghul and effectively read Felicity the Riot Act, League of Assassins style. Felicity watched Nyssa calmly; a brief thought crossed her mind as she wondered whether this warrior woman would also be as accommodating and sympathetic to her plight. Maybe lightening would strike twice and this Nyssa would let her go. 

“I am under instructions not to spill your blood but you can trust that I have some very painful ways that will leave no mark should you refuse to obey me.”

“That would be a no to letting me go then”, Felicity thought to herself.

“You do not look like you possess any great strength,” Nyssa mused, staring at Felicity curiously. “It is simply inconceivable to think that you could have inflicted such a deadly stomach wound on Al Sah-Him in order to escape from him.”

Felicity could feel all the blood drain from her face. Stomach wound, deadly. What on earth had he done to himself after she left? Was he even alive today? Perhaps he had died and this is why they were sending this Nyssa after her. 

Felicity closed her eyes for a few seconds to regroup herself. Whether he was dead or alive it would not do to let anyone know that he had let her go. She looked up at Nyssa, pasted a smirk on her face and responded in a saccharine sweet voice “It doesn’t pay to under estimate me. But I see you’ve learnt a lesson from your friend since you brought backup.”  
“He is not my friend,” Nyssa snapped back haughtily. “He is an imposter who has manipulated my father for his own personal gain while robbing me of my birthright.”

“Alright scary ninja lady, obviously I have hit a nerve. Look I don’t want to get in the middle of whatever Shakespearean family drama you have going on but…… and I know this is probably a rhetorical question, are you guys sure you really need to drag me back to your Assassin palace? I’m just me ya know. Boring old me. I doubt my ninja skills are up to scratch for you lot.”

“Ra’s Al Ghul has decreed that we are to bring you in right away. It is high time that you repaid your father’s debts.”

“You see, about that….” Felicity began only to be cut off sternly and quickly by Nyssa. 

“ENOUGH,” Nyssa barked. “You speak far too much. I do not like those that are chatty as you Americans put it. You will come with us right away. You may have a few minutes to gather any precious items you do not wish to part with.” She made the offer with the air of one who was making a great concession. 

***

The journey to Nanda Parbat was long and freezing. In all her years on the run Felicity had imagined it to be a hot acrid place, somewhere akin to the middle of the dessert. In reality she was freezing cold as she shivered and shook in her thin denim jeans and coat that was clearly designed to be aesthetically pleasing rather than to successfully keep her warm during a Nanda Parbat winter. After being blindfolded and ushered onto what she assumed was a private jet, or at the very least some sort of stolen plane, her blindfolds had been removed and Felicity found herself trudging along the cold plains as the bitter winter wind blew and the frosty air nipped at her nose.

“It’s soooo c…c…cold,” Felicity moaned, as she slowed down, once again out of breath. 

Nyssa, who was next to her, gave her a surprisingly gentle push. “If you walk faster, you will be warmer Felicity Smoak.”

“Did I ever tell you people I don’t do any cardio at home? Well not home since I never had a proper home in the last few years thanks to you people but point is I have never done any cardio in my life and here you’ve made me walk miles and miles and miles. I can’t do it anymore. I’m going to drop dead right here. Serves you people right anyway if I drop dead. Can’t we rent some horses or something? Why are you people so tough? Is this a pride thing because let me just say I have absolutely no pride whatsoever and am not above riding on a horse.”

“SILENCE,” Nyssa commanded irritably. “You incessant chatting is giving me a headache Felicity Smoak.”

Felicity shot her a dark look and as a petty childish gesture, stuck her tongue out at the other woman, feeling much better after she did. 

They walked for another half an hour when Nyssa ordered them all to stop right outside a homestead. A rapid exchange in Arabic followed with Nyssa handing over what looked like a bag of coins in exchange for a large donkey of some kind and some thick blankets.

“Get on the beast immediately and cease your whining,” Nyssa ordered when she returned with the donkey and blankets in tow.

“I don’t know about this Nyssa,” Felicity said reluctantly staring at the rather cute placid donkey standing next to her. “He’s pretty cute but I’ve read somewhere that donkeys are generally not strong enough to carry the weight of an adult. Unless he’s a Mammoth Donkey? Apparently they can be ridden because they are bigger. I don’t know much about them but he does look pretty big. Do you think it would hurt him if I rode on his back? I’ve got a thing about animals you know. I’m not a vegetarian or anything but I don’t know how I’d feel about making this poor little fellow carry me through the cold.”

“The beast was bred to carry loads much heavier than your scrawny little self Felicity Smoak. Now GET ON THE DONKEY AND CEASE YOUR NATTERING.”

Felicity pouted but obediently climbed on the donkey’s back. The creature let out a soft grunt but appeared to be unbothered by her weight. Nyssa reached up and wrapped the blanket firmly around her, tucking the ends in neatly.

“I do not want to hear another word from you Felicity Smoak,” Nyssa warned her sternly. 

***

Felicity took a few deep breaths as she followed Nyssa into the throne room where Ra’ Al Ghul himself was waiting for her. Turns out League headquarters was not the modest assassin base she had imagined in her head. The place was a palace. There was no other way to describe it. The grounds, the castle the architecture, it was all breathtaking. Felicity did consider for a moment that maybe she had really lost her mind and was sitting in a mental home somewhere conjuring all this up. Somehow that thought was more comforting than the reality that she had found herself in. Captured for dubious reasons unknown and taken to some self-proclaimed king.

As Felicity was led through the heavy brass doors she gave her foot a defiant little stop and stuck her chin up. They may have captured her but really what could be worse than death. She wasn’t morbid by nature and most certainly wasn’t a fan of dying but at this point she was in a palace in an unknown location, surrounded by assassins, death seemed highly likely on the cards. Plucky as she was she didn’t think she was going to successfully evade these people with her power walking and they had known enough about her to strip her off all her electronics.

“Father I have successfully brought her as you asked,” Nyssa bowed to an old regal looking man residing on the throne. Felicity rolled her eyes momentarily before sneaking a peek at the King, Ra’s, whatever his moniker was. He was an intimidating looking man. He wasn’t old exactly but he had an air about him that seemed ancient. Like he had been around for a long time. There was something decrepit about him even though he appeared as a normal man. Felicity found herself shuddering for the first time since she set foot in Nanda Parbat.

“Kneel!” A big burly fellow barked at her. 

“I think I’ll stand, thank you very much,” Felicity responded defiantly suddenly no longer feeling frightened. Creepy as heck or not she was not going to kneel down to some old dude in a sect that she was no part of.

“Kneel at once or I will make you,” the giant thug barked at her again. 

“Well look at you, giant-ass assassin threatening a one hundred pound girl. Jeez you people must be proud of yourself. Why look at us, we’re a bunch of trained assassins and we’re going to gang up on a defenseless pint sized girl and bully her. Don’t you guys have better things to do? Other powerful assassin nemesis’s to fight with? Other secret assassin kingdoms to overthrow? What on earth could you want with someone like me?”

“Father I believe she is what they deem as chatty,” Nyssa explained to creepy Ra’s who, if she was not mistaken looked vaguely amused. Ra’s motioned for his giant minion to stand down.

“You amuse me Felicity Smoak and when you have lived for as long as I have it is not easy to be amused or charmed as I am by you.”

Felicity shuddered at his compliment and took a step back. Ra’s had just gotten that much more creepy.

“Let me explain to you why you’re here,” Ra’s continued, oblivious to the fact that she was looking a little freaked out by him. “Your father had dealings with the League many years ago while you were just a mere child. As it turns out he absconded from the League and abandoned his duties and obligation to us.”

“Yeah that’s a bit of a classic trait for dear old dad,” Felicity muttered under her breath. 

“According to League laws all his debts must be settled with us and as he is dead, you as his progeny must repay any debts he owes to the League. Therefore you are part of the League now. As your father is no longer able to settle his debts, it is your duty to do so,” Ra’s explained, ignoring her little comment.

Felicity could not help but let out an indignant huff. “The man abandoned us when I was seven! What are you people smoking to think that I should be the one to pay for his debts. And if there was a debt can’t we just work up a reasonable payment plan? I’m sure if you crazy people didn’t chase me around for a good five years I could have worked my way up the Technology field and paid you all back whatever he owed with interest.”

“It is not a financial debt but a personal debt that he owes the League,” Ra’s continued solemnly. “And all personal debts are to be repaid by one’s progeny.”

“That is the most insane thing I have heard,” Felicity exclaimed, her face flaming bright red now.

“Enough!” Nyssa stepped in. “You will not be so brazen and rude to Ra’s Al Ghul. Be thankful you have not been whipped for your continuously rude behavior.”

“Hush Nyssa,” Ra’s motioned for his daughter to be quiet, earning a surprised look from her.

He took a few steps towards Felicity and watched her intently before speaking. “I normally do not stand for such defiance. But there is something about you Felicity Smoak. Those eyes. I once knew someone with eyes like those.”

Felicity could feel herself struggling to breath as she digested the comment. It was the first time she had truly felt frightened since being captured by the League. “What do you want from me?” she asked carefully, looking at Ra’s with suspicion, trying desperately not to let her fear show.

“I understand that you possess exceptional technology related skills. You are to use those skills within the League and assist us with whatever we need you to do.”

“If you think that I’m going to use my computer skills to help you kill, think again. I’d rather be dead,” Felicity snapped back. Creepy or not she was not going to back down and help them assassinate random innocent people. She supposed they were going to get her to hack into various databases and get information on their targets for them.

“When you live to be my age you will understand that the world is neither black or white but rather shades of grey my dear Felicity,” Ra’s smiled indulgently at her. “You can either stay here with us by invitation and be treated with the delicacy and respect that should be bestowed on a gem like yourself. Or we can make you stay. We have methods of stripping away everything you ever knew about yourself to ensure your cooperation with us and you will work for the League one way or another. The choice is yours my dear.” 

The smile had faded and his tone was now quiet and menacing. Felicity realized why he had managed to ascend to Ra’s Al Ghul. She swallowed and took a few deep breaths before responding. “Looks like I don’t have much of a choice do I when you put it that way. I guess I’d rather commit crimes against humanity consciously so I can feel the guilt and repent for my actions than be a brainwashed zombie.”

Ra’s laughed heartily upon hearing this. “You really do remind me of someone I used to love Felicity. You will be taken to your quarters. You are free to roam the grounds and spend your days however you like until you are summoned for a task. As a concession I will endeavor to set you tasks that you will find more…palatable.” He advanced towards her with a suspiciously affable smile on his face, causing Felicity to back away. All her bravado had left her. Whilst she was one hundred percent certain that the League was not going to kill her or pull off her fingernails as a form of torture, there was something in Ra’s manner that disturbed her greatly. Somehow this all felt like it was the beginning of a great storm brewing that was about to descend upon her.

***

Felicity was lost in thought as she trudged to her quarters, led by two impassive but kindly looking servants who were doing their best to slow down to her pace so as to not leave her trailing. She wondered what she was to them. Prisoner? Hostage? Threatened guest? She had been allowed to take with her the small suitcase she had packed which she had lugged with her all the way across the world. Felicity clung onto it tightly and desperately as if clinging onto the last vestiges of her normal life (ok it wasn’t normal to be constantly on the run for years but it was a hell of a lot more normal than living in a palace with a madman and his not so merry band of assassins). 

As she attempted to keep up her pace, turning down yet another long and winding corridor, she found her thoughts straying to him. Why wasn’t he there? Where was he? If he was as important to Ra’s as Nyssa had led her to believe why hadn’t he been present today. Had he lost his standing when he had failed to bring her in? What terrible wounds had he inflicted on himself in order to save her? 

It was incredibly foolish of her to wish but somehow in the back of her mind she had hoped that he would be there. That in the midst of all the uncertainty she would have someone in her corner. 

“Go and live out your life for yourself and for me.” They were the last words he had said to her. Clearly he had cared about her back then for whatever reason. She wondered if he still felt the same five years on.

The thoughts continued to swirl around in her head. As her mind raced away, Felicity suddenly felt herself loosing her footing. She careened forward, the suitcase flying out of her hands. Who needed to be beaten up by an assassin when you were clumsy enough to trip on your own? She closed her eyes and braced for impact but never hit the hard polished stone floor. A pair of strong arms reached out to catch her by the waist and in a manner of seconds she found herself being carried, bridal style by the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on. Deep blue eyes, chiseled jaw, broody intense expression, he looked like the more handsome, hot blooded bad boy brother of a Disney prince. And he was carrying her. Naturally Felicity did the only thing she could do while being carried by a hot assassin. She opened her mouth and blurted out the first thing that came into her head.

“Are all the male assassins as hot as you? I’ve only seen a few others and they look positively scrawny compared to you. Well except this one giant guy and trust me he was no looker but then again my opinion may be biased, as he was incredibly mean to me. So do hot assassins like you just pop up out of nowhere in dark hallways to catch clumsy unsuspecting prisoners when they fall? Not that I’m complaining because after all if I am to be captured here for an eternity, may as well enjoy the view right? I’m sorry for objectifying you, after you so nicely prevented my face from hitting the floor but I’ve had such a trying day today. Actually it’s been a trying decade but today is probably up there.” 

He didn’t say anything but she could see his eyes crinkling slightly as the corner of his lips quirked upwards. She stopped talking and focused on his handsome face to get a better look at him. Their eyes met in that moment and suddenly she knew. They continued to stare at each other for a few more seconds before he gently put her down and walked away without saying a word.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!
> 
> Here is your next chapter! I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Happy Easter everyone!

Felicity stood uncertainly outside the heavy brass doors of the throne room shifting her weight from one foot to the other. The two guards outside the doors retained their impassive expressions, ignoring her presence, save a quick nod when she first came in their view.

She had been here, trapped in this place for a month and it appeared that every single guard in the palace had been instructed to greet her wherever she went. No one attempted to speak to her unless they were spoken to. There was an air of deference from all the guards and servants alike, which puzzled her and if she were to be honest, made her nervous, as she was sure this had something to do with Ra’s.

Ra’s had visited her a few times, each time with Nyssa by his side. Every visit left Felicity feeling more and more uneasy. She could tell Ra’s was trying to be genial but something about his manner, along with Nyssa’s changing demeanor during every visit, made her feel a chilling fear she had never experienced before in her life.

During his first visit he had insisted on taking her to a suite a few metres from her living quarters. As it turned out he had ordered refurbishment of the suite into a library, complete with every single book that a public library may have. “My sincere apologies for restricting your access to the web my dear but I do hope your mind will be sufficiently stimulated by these,” he had told her smoothly before making his exit. Nyssa had flashed her a warm smile.

The second time she had come back from the library to find her room filled with every kind of flower imaginable. It looked like a florist had gone mad and was having a stock take sale in the place. Ra’s had appeared a few minutes later citing that he was aware how dreary and homesick she must feel and he hoped that the flowers would brighten up her day. She had smiled at him through clenched teeth and asked him in the most polite voice she could muster that perhaps he ought to send her home back to civilization with normal people if he was so worried that she was homesick instead of aggravating her allergies with flower pollen. Ra’s merely laughed at her and told her what a charming spirit she had before leaving looking rather pleased with himself. Nyssa had shot her a sympathetic but warning look, much to her distress.

The last time he showed up, which had been a few hours ago, Ra’s took her to a computer lab which he advised had been set up just for her. Ra’s then gave her three names and told her he wanted extensive dossiers on each of the men, any information she could find. 

“I trust that you will cooperate with me on this Felicity as you will find the alternative quite unpalatable,” he shot at her before leaving.

Felicity knew she had the skills to hack into every database of every security agency in the world, however during the last five years of running she had worked so hard to wipe out every trace of Felicity Smoak. Sure she could alert all the international agencies but chances were they would all think that it was an elaborate hoax as Felicity Smoak had been wiped from existence along with every other alias she had given herself during that time. 

She wished for nothing more than to be far away from this place but the sad reality was that there was nothing waiting for her back in the world either. Home. She had no home. If she were to be honest she had no idea where home was. No friends, no family. For five years she had lived on the run, unable to establish any relationships along the way. She blamed the league first and foremost and then she blamed her father, for taking any semblance of a normal life away from her. 

Her fingers flew over the keyboard and within twenty minutes she had compiled three neat dossiers on the targets given to her. Each one was unsavory and a criminal in his own right and Felicity thanked the heavens that at least this time, she had no guilt weighing on her conscience for doing what Ra’s asked. 

Still she now found herself shifting around nervously outside his throne room, dreading the prospect of another run in with Ra’s. She had briefly fantasized that maybe she could send one of the servants who took care of her to bring him the files but soon realized that was out of the question. Felicity found herself feeling more and more desperate to avoid meetings, any kind of meetings with Ra’s. She took a few deep breaths before turning to ask the guards awkwardly, “Ra’s is expecting me, err can you let him know I’m here.”

The guards nodded, opening the door before she could say anything, bowing as they motioned her in.

“Felicity to what do I owe this pleasure,” he beamed at her, leaving his throne to head down towards her. Felicity glanced around nervously hoping to find Nyssa’s familiar face. Though she and Nyssa were hardly best friends, every interaction she had had with Ra’s had taken place with Nyssa present. There was something comforting about the no nonsense presence of Nyssa Al Ghul which eased Felicity’s anxiety when dealing with Ra’s. Alas there was no Nyssa in sight. She was alone with Ra’s and his goons.

“I have the files you wanted,” she muttered shortly, holding out the drive in Ra’s’ direction, yanking her arm back as soon as he took the drive off her. 

“That is impressive work my dear Felicity,” Ra’s smiled, circling her while looking her up and down. 

“It was a few basic database hacks. I don’t see why you people need me to do this if you managed to track me down. If you people could track me surely you have the expertise to get information like this for yourself,” Felicity snapped. She noticed his goons frowning at her but glared back defiantly. The more she bit back at Ra’s, the more she found she was able to contain her fear of him.

“Ahh but we didn’t track you down using your set of skills my dear. We managed to find you by doing what we do best, the old-fashioned way and dare I say it with a bit of luck. The Gods clearly wanted me to find you.”

“Well obviously I did something to anger the Gods if they led you to me,” Felicity shrugged before making a move to leave. “I got you what you want so I take it you’ll summon me when you need another task done. You know where to find me since you’ve got me locked up in this place.” She turned and headed towards the door only to find her entrance blocked by Ra’s.

“Such spirit Felicity. I have something for you and I hope this won’t offend you my lovely. I’ve noticed you’ve been wearing your old clothes for quite sometime and as beautiful as you are, they really don’t capture your true beauty. You shall find trunks and trunks of clothing delivered to your quarters as we speak. I hope the clothes reflect your style and that you will be satisfied with them.” He smiled at her with the air of one making a great grand gesture, as if he were expecting her to drop at his feet declaring her gratitude.

Felicity stared at him for a few seconds before sighing a long deep sigh. “You’ve no idea how creepy that is do you? I’d beg you to let me go but I know how futile that is so I’m just going to leave now. I don’t have anything else to say to you. Please let me leave.”

“Oh my dear Felicity, so youthful, so unruly. One day, you will truly understand the League and realize what great honors have been bestowed on you,” Ra’s responding with a superior smile. To her relief he did step aside to let her through. 

“Yeah you just keep on being creepy and telling yourself that,” Felicity retorted before stalking off, her hands trembling with fear despite her bravado in front of Ra’s.

***

The library Ra’s built her was everything a girl could want, although Felicity would never admit it. Filled with volumes and volumes of classics, a mix of contemporary fiction and non-fiction books (there was even an impressive collection of Mills and Boon novels of all things), Felicity often found herself curling on the sofa in front of the fireplace long after she had dismissed her servants. It was rule that they were to stay and attend to her needs until she went to bed, however after much coaxing Felicity had managed to convince the two motherly middle aged ladies that she was a night owl and in order to for her to be happy, she needed to know that they were getting a decent night’s sleep.

Felicity yawned and considered sleeping on the couch for the night but realized that it would send Nisreen and Saja, her servants into a state of frenzy the next morning if she wasn’t found in her own bed. Stifling another yawn, Felicity grabbed a copy of Anne of Green Gables (Anne’s eternal optimism was just what she needed to cuddle down with before braving another day) and her candlestick holder before blowing out all the candles in the library. She switched off the lights and headed out. This stupid place and its ridiculous never-ending supply of candles. Complete and utter fire hazard if there ever was one. 

It happened so suddenly Felicity barely had time to register her shock. One minute she was tip toeing back to her quarters, a short walk she had taken numerous times since arriving here, the next minute she felt a cold blade graze her arm. Too stunned to scream Felicity instinctively raised her arms and began to beat her assailant with the candlestick in her hand, the flame having gone out during her scuffle. Her attempts to wildly hit back were in vain as she saw a blade lunge towards her.

A pair of strong arms pulled her out of the way and within a matter of minutes a black clad figure, whom she could only assume was her attacker, dropped to the ground in heap. Still processing her narrow escape she looked up to see Al Sah-him in the casual looking black robes that her servants had informed her were training robes for when the assassins worked out and practiced their martial arts. He looked even better than she remembered she thought, before mentally chastising herself for still being a pervert minutes after someone had just tried to kill her. Really there was a time and place and this was not it. But still she was shaken and slightly off kilter, not dead. How was she supposed to control the weird flutter in her tummy when he stared at her intensely still looking as broody and handsome as ever?

Felicity held her gaze before finally expelling a breath of air, not knowing what else to do. She was slumped on the floor, her legs feeling like jelly beneath her. If she were to be honest she wasn’t quite sure what had knocked her breath away. The assassination attempt or the fact that he had appeared miraculously out of nowhere to save her. 

“Hot assassin strikes again,” she muttered nervously. “And by hot assassin I mean you, not him. By the way did you kill him or just maim him? And why are you always so handily lurking in corners waiting to rescue me from various afflictions. Not that being assassinated could be counted as an affliction. One month in and someone wants me dead already. Doesn’t do much for a girl’s self-confidence. Sorry my legs are a bit weak at the moment. I’ll get up and walk soon enough. If you could just be a sweetheart and see me to my door. I’ll lock it, make sure no one tries to finish the job tonight.” She moved her hand over her throat, imitating the classic throat slitting action. 

“Shhhh,” he cooed quietly, obviously thinking that she was in shock. And maybe she was. “You’re okay, you’re going to be ok. Felicity I’m going to carry you to your room and see to your wound.”

Without waiting for her agreement, he swooped her up into his arms (seriously what was with this guy and carrying her) and carried her the short distance to her quarters.

***

“Does it hurt very much,” he asked kneeling in front of her after he had deposited her gently on her bed. 

“Just a graze,” Felicity responded biting her bottom lip nervously. The adrenalin and initial shock had worn off and now she was just feeling overwhelmed by everything. Why was this handsome, mysterious man kneeling between her legs and gazing at her with a look of wonder in his eyes?

“I should clean it. Make sure it doesn’t get infected.” He placed a warm hand on her knee.

“Shouldn’t we do something about the dude who tried to kill me before he wakes up?” 

“He’s not going anywhere for a long time trust me,” Al Sah-him responded, clenching his fists.

“You killed him? How did you even kill him?” She asked, her voice rising a little. “Sorry I didn’t mean to come off ungrateful. I just…I’ve never…”

“You’re not used to death,” he said softly. “You’re not a monster like the rest of us.”

“I didn’t mean that,” Felicity quickly reassured him, grabbing his arm, causing them both to freeze and stare at her small hands, which were now gripped around his biceps. “I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. It just happened so quickly and I suddenly thought if he was alive maybe we could question him. I hate mysteries.” She finished the sentence with a nervous smile, causing him to look down, and the corners of his mouth threatening to tilt upwards into a smile as well.

“I always aim to kill not maim,” he responded, the almost smile fading and his eyes darkening. “I’ll clean up your wound and you should get some sleep. We’ll sort it out in the morning.”

He tended to the wound on her arm gently but efficiently, bandaging it up neatly after he had cleaned it. “Hopefully you shouldn’t have a scar. I made sure I cleaned it well,” he smiled at her shyly before standing up. 

Felicity, still sitting on the bed, grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Thank you,” she whispered. “ I can’t remember if I’ve said it yet but thank you.”

He watched her for a few seconds, taking in the sight of her before he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. “Get some sleep Felicity. I’ll be outside the door tonight to make sure that you’re safe.”

***

“My Lord please excuse me for speaking frankly but I am Heir to the Demon. You appointed me that title yourself. I do not see how it is fit for me to play bodyguard to our little guest. At any rate I am a man and she is a woman. It will not do for me to take up living quarters next to her. I strongly suggest you appoint one of our female members to attend to this task. Or Nyssa if you really trust no one else.” 

As he spoke the words he avoided her eyes. The rage emanating from her was palpable and he didn’t blame her. However he couldn’t help but admire her composure and beauty at the same time. Apart of the bright electric blue flecks in her eyes, crimson cheeks and cool, self composed silent look, any person who hadn’t studied her for two years like he had, would have no idea that under the sparkling eyes and rosy complexion she was currently bubbling over with rage and resentment. Anger was a good look on Felicity. She was a beautiful woman on any given day. But when she was angry, she was captivating. 

“My dear boy you are quite right. Your combat skills rival those of mine. But before you ascend to Ra’s there is so much more you need to learn and this task will test your metal. There is a lesson in this Al Sah-him. Seek it, learn it and do not underestimate it. Also she is very precious to me so make sure she is well preserved in her pristine state whatever you do.” Ra’s let out an amused laugh. Al Sah-him did not dare look at Felicity to see what she thought of that particular statement.

“You’re all talking about me like I am an invisible prized cow. Since I have no say in this, in anything at all I don’t see the point of my staying in this room. Fill me in on whatever it is you’ve decided to decree amongst yourselves. I need some air.” With that she sailed out of the room, head in the air. 

***

Felicity wandered aimlessly around the gardens before finding herself plucking at a flower bush viciously, shredding it’s young leaves to tatters as she held back the tears that were threatening to fall. Oh how stupid she had been to think that she meant something for him, that there was some sort of deep and meaningful reason why he had let her go five years ago. It was obvious now that he had probably suffered from the assassin equivalent of a nervous breakdown and hence had let her go. 

She tugged at another branch and tore through the next set of leaves when she recalled how sweet, gentle and caring he had been last night, assuring her that he was going to stay outside her door all night. When she woke up, her servants were there instead and he had gone. The body had been cleaned up too. 

Eventually she had been summoned by Ra’s, the attempt on her life now public knowledge with Ra’s declaring that Al Sah-him was to be her constant bodyguard. Oh how horrified he had been at the prospect of following her around day and night finding excuse after excuse to get away from her. And here she thought that he had been shadowing her like some sort of a knight in shining armour. No knights here, just assassins, Felicity laughed scornfully at her own stupidity.

Felicity was about to reach for another branch when she felt something draped softly on her shoulders. She turned around to see that Al Sah–him had draped his cloak over her. He was now fiddling with the clasp around her neck, trying to fasten the enormous cloak on her.

“It’s very cold out here at this time of the year. You really should make sure you keep warm and remember to bring your cloak out. You don’t want to get sick.”

“Oh my goodness this is hilarious! The nerve of you!” she huffed indignantly, causing him to take a step back.

“Felicity…”

“Oh don’t you Felicity me you…you Felicity carrying, forehead kissing, cloak draping…idiot!” She stomped her foot angrily, not really knowing what else to do to express her frustration. 

“Felicity,” he said again, grabbing her arm, watching her with a sad, tormented expression on his face.

“No!” Felicity declared firmly. “You either explain yourself to me or you keep your distance and play the part of the polite, over qualified, high ranking bodyguard while I endeavour to be the good charge and stay out of trouble. What you don’t get to do is you don’t get to carry me, kiss me on the forehead or slink out of bushes to put warm cloaks on my body.”

“This,” she whispered waving at the air between them, “This is confusing and I don’t know what to think anymore. Ra’s is creepy and he scares me, Nyssa has her own agenda. I don’t think I can trust my servants because everything gets reported back to Ra’s. I…I thought you were my friend out here. I know it sounds ridiculous but I really thought that since five years ago you… that maybe you were looking out for me. I guess I’m just stupid,” she finished lamely, looking away.

He reached out to stroke one of her curls. “Felicity do you trust me?”

“Yes,” she sighed. “You run hot and cold and it’s driving me nuts but I do trust you.”

“Then come with me,” he asked, grabbing her hand, a spark of energy taking over him all of a sudden.

“Where?”

“Come with me and I’ll explain everything.” He grabbed her hand and Felicity let herself be led away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiiii
> 
> It's me again wiht your next update!
> 
> Ok guys I am very proud of my efforts in this chapter so I REALLY hope you enjoy it too!!!!!!
> 
> Thank you for reading and for your lovely comments on the last chapter!

He ushered her through a series of tunnels and passages, holding onto her hand tightly until they finally reached what looked like a small room. There was no door but the space had only one small entrance and was blocked off by the walls of another tunnel. 

He placed an arm on her shoulder and gently led her in. “We can talk freely here,” he explained, seeing the intrigued look on her face. “I found this place when I was just a boy. It was my hideout, the one place I felt that I could be free away from Ra’s eyes and ears. I’ve done some work on it over the years.”

“This is amazing,” Felicity declared as she surveyed the room around her. It was neatly tiled and furnished with a lovely little round wooden table and two chairs with legs that were carved in the shape of animal paws. Felicity could not help but let out a delighted squeal as she touched the paw legs. “These are so cute! Is it weird I want to ask you where you got these? It’s not like I am going to jump online and order them for my home but they are so cute! Paws are just so adorable don’t you think?”

“I made them,” he answered a shy smile gracing his lips. “We have a lot of downtime between missions and there is only so much training a person can do so I build things in my spare time.”

“Well just look at you,” Felicity muttered. “That whole package and you also build furniture on the side. You’re going to be one hell of a catch for some woman.” Upon realizing what she had just said, her cheeks grew hot and she blushed furiously.

“I’ve thought of myself as many things but a catch is not one of them,” he replied. There was a hint of amusement in his voice but his beautiful blue eyes were clouded with sadness. “Come sit down and make yourself comfortable.” He led her to what looked like a double-seated rocking chair, filled with stuffed cushions. 

Felicity let out another delighted squeal. “Did you make this too?” He nodded, smiling at her. “Then I stand by what I said. Total catch!” 

“I remember you always had a fondness for rocking chairs.” He held out a hand, wanting to touch her but pulled back at the last minute.

“About that,” she said slowly, looking him straight in the eye. “We never did get to speak much after you instructed me to flee. What happened? Even after all these years it still feels surreal. I feel like the rug was pulled from under me.” 

“I’m sorry,” he said earnestly. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Felicity grabbed his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “The more encounters I have with Ra’s the more I’m convinced that he’s insane. I don’t blame you for any of this. Thank you for the last five years. I want you to know they weren’t all bad. I had some lovely moments and I am grateful for the freedom you tried to give me.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you.”

“Will you stop apologizing to me,” Felicity gave his hand a gentle tap. “What you can do is explain what happened to you afterwards. Nyssa said you ended up with a deadly stomach wound. Did you do that to yourself so that I could escape? Where is it?”

Slowly he pulled his hand away from her and unbuttoned his black robes, revealing a series of now healed gashes and what appeared to be a deep knife wound. Without thinking Felicity reached over and began stroking the scars softly with her fingers.

“What did you do to yourself?” she murmured. “Surely all of this was not necessary just to facilitate my escape.” She pressed her palm on the scars, almost as if she were willing her hands to heal them. These were her fault.

“There wasn’t much time after I sent you away so I did the first plausible thing that came to mind. It’s nothing. The rest of my body is covered in scars that would horrify you.”

Felicity ignored his last comment and made a point of keeping her hands on his scars, her eyes meeting his gaze to prove that he didn’t revolt her. Why she was doing this she wasn’t sure. The atmosphere grew thicker and heavier around them as they continued to stare at each other.

Finally he removed her small soft hand from his stomach and held it in his big calloused one. “He knows. Ra’s knows.”

“Yeah I figured as much,” Felicity responded wryly. “One look at me and no one was going to believe I gave you all those wounds. Although you could say that I did, technically I did cause those wounds.” 

“He’s punishing me for it right now. That’s why he made me your bodyguard. He knows I have an attachment to you so he’s using that to punish me. He means to dangle you in front of me every day and remind me that you are trapped here because I failed you.”

“Will you stop blaming yourself for my predicament,” Felicity huffed in exasperation. “My father was a criminal who obviously got into bed with the wrong people and then he killed himself when there was no way out. Ra’s is a crazy bastard who wants me here for whatever reason. You could have brought me in five years ago which was your job. Instead you showed compassion and tried to set me free so will you please stop it with the self blame and self loathing.”

“I was the reason they found you.” He let go of her hands, as if he were expecting her to yank them away as soon as she heard this. “After studying you for two years I knew you pretty well. And even though I didn’t have the skills to track you electronically I knew you well enough to work out where you could have headed. I let myself find you once a year just to make sure you were ok. Nyssa must have caught on and that’s how they found you. I’m the reason they found you Felicity.” He buried his face into his hands and Felicity found herself at a loss for what to say or do. He clearly had some issues and a mountain of guilt the size of Everest to deal with. 

Slowly she peeled his hands away from his face and used her own to cup his cheeks. She pressed her forehead against his. “Clearly this is a bit weird and intense and I am violating your personal space but I feel like I need to make a point. You are NOT the bad guy here and I don’t blame you for anything that’s happened. Ra’s is responsible for this. Ra’s hunted me down, Ra’s is forcing me to stay here, Ra’s is being creepy and dangling a hot hunk in front of me for whatever reason. So no more talk about how this is your fault ok Mister?”

She pulled her forehead off his and gave his cheeks a pinch, causing him to burst into a smile, shaking his head. 

“Felicity you are remarkable.”

“Thank you for remarking on it.”

“Felicity will you do one thing for me?” he asked his sapphire blue eyes growing serious.

“Sure, what is it?” she asked leaning back, rocking the chair to test it out. For some reason she felt like a cloud had been lifted over her. She finally had somebody in her corner, a friend. It suddenly made the long days ahead in Nanda Parbat seem more bearable.

“Don’t call me Al Sah-him when we’re alone. Please call me Oliver instead.”

“Oliver…your real name is Oliver?” she asked, smiling a sweet little smile at him.

“I don’t know what my real name is anymore Felicity. Oliver was my name from another lifetime ago. I’d like to be that person when I’m with you.” 

His voice was so earnest and sincere. For a moment he looked like he had reverted back into a little boy again. Something about the look in his eyes made Felicity’s heart hurt. She stopped the rocking chair and met his gaze before answering, “You know Oliver, I think that you’re a good person with a good heart no matter what name you go by.”

***

Thunk, thunk, thunk, the sound of the salmon ladder thumped distractingly as Felicity attempted to focus on her novel instead of letting her eyes wonder where they wanted. As Warith Al Ghul, Heir to the Demon, Oliver was given certain privileges, one of those being his own workout space. Having nothing better to do and wanting to disrupt his life as little as possible, Felicity had offered to accompany him with a pile of novels in tow. She assured him that she usually spent her days reading anyway and there was no need for him to hover around the dark library when she could just as easily read wherever he was training.

Felicity had even attempted to dress “sporty” for the occasion, digging into the trunks of clothing Ra’s had gifted her to find a pair of skinny jeans which fit her perfectly and a soft downy baby pink sweater. She briefly wondered which servant was responsible for buying all her clothes. Did they get dropped off to civilization to visit a physical shop or did they sit around and did copious amount of online shopping. The mysteries of the League kept on piling up. 

Unable to focus on her book, Felicity declared defeat with a sigh and closed her book. She allowed herself a few minutes to appreciate the view of the specimen in front of her as he effortlessly sailed through the salmon ladder before she decided to embark on some exercise of her own. Seeing Oliver all hot and sweaty made her realize that maybe she ought to do something to get into shape too instead of sitting around getting soft and pudgy. Glancing around Felicity tried to see if there was a treadmill or exercise bike of some sort that she could hop on for a work out. There were some training mats, various dangerous looking pointy weapons, targets for archery practice and archery…stuff but definitely no treadmill or bike. 

Felicity gave a little shrug and decided to practice doing the one thing she knew how to do. Forward rolls! When she was ten, her mother being worried about her tendency to shut herself in her room and sit in front of a screen, had enrolled Felicity into a weekend gymnastics class. After a few months it became painfully obvious that gymnastics was not her niche however Felicity did come way from the class knowing how to do some killer forward rolls and handstands. 

Glancing at the expansive surface area of the plush training mats, Felicity decided to channel her inner ten year old and do a series of forward rolls around the perimeter of the mats. That would surely aid her flexibility or something as such. She put herself into position and began forward rolling happily until a loud crash caused her to tip over mid roll. 

“Felicity what are you doing?” She glanced over to see Oliver, pulling himself up from what looked like a fall from the salmon ladder looking at her half amused and half frustrated.

“Exercising,” she responded beaming at him. “I figured you’re so fit and all I didn’t want to get left behind so I’m doing the only thing I know how to do.”

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing I lost my grip on the salmon ladder. Why are you rolling around on the training mats?” he asked tilting his head slightly, giving her an amused smile.

“Forward rolls!” she beamed back. “I think I can do a handstand too. Let me show you! Two things I managed to pick up from weekend gymnastics school.” 

Before he could protest she placed her hands on the ground and launched into a handstand. She managed to hold the handstand and her dignity for only a few seconds before she could feel herself swaying and toppling forward. Felicity braced for impact and tried to tuck her chin in to save her neck like she had been taught all those years ago however she never hit the soft mat. Once again he had deftly caught her and placed her on the ground, the right way up. 

“I guess I used to have better arm strength,” she smiled sheepishly at him. “Thanks for not letting me fall and mortifying myself further.”

The statement was casual and her tone was lighthearted but suddenly Oliver closed what little space there was between them and Felicity found him gazing at her intensely, his hands cupping her face as he whispered, “I will never let you get hurt Felicity, never. I will always protect you.” 

They continued to gaze at each other, neither wanting to take their eyes off the other person.

“We should get back, it’s almost dinner time,” Oliver whispered gruffly, his eyes not leaving her face, his rough and calloused fingers caressing her cheeks.

“Are you hungry?” Felicity asked in a husky voice, suddenly finding it hard to breath. “Tell me what you’re hungry for?”

“Something I should never have,” he responded sadly before letting his fingers fall away from her cheeks. 

***

They said little to each other for the rest of the day. He was called in for a meeting with Ra’s and a female assassin was assigned to shadow her for the rest of the day. It had now become blindingly obvious that appointing Oliver as her bodyguard was some sort of game devised by Ra’s. Ra’s wanted to punish Oliver, to taunt him by having him be around Felicity as often as possible to remind him of what he wanted to protect but couldn’t. 

Nanda Parbat may have been her prison but the view was beautiful and to clear her head about the increasingly intense atmosphere between herself and Oiver, Felicity decided to head to the grounds for a quick sunset stroll. She reached the end of the South Wing when Nyssa appeared. 

“You may leave us,” she instructed Nerine, who marched off without a word. Assassins were not chatty people. Nature of the job Felicity guessed. Not much point having conversations with someone you were about to off. 

Nyssa turned and addressed Felicity. “I would like to speak to you Felicity Smoak. Let us go for a walk in the gardens for some privacy.”

Felicity nodded and resisted the urge to ask where Oliver was or why Nyssa wasn’t still in the meeting with her father. It wouldn’t do to show any interest in Oliver and Nyssa was incredibly touchy about where she stood on the hierarchy with her father. Despite whatever turmoil they felt inside, Felicity and Oliver had managed to maintain an air of cool detachment when they were out in public together.

They walked in silence for a good fifteen minutes until they were in one of the gardens a distance away from the Castle. Despite being held here against her will, Felicity was willing to admit that the gardens and grounds were some of the most beautiful she had ever seen. Something was always in bloom it seemed, even now in the winter.

“I am here to offer you a deal Felicity Smoak,” Nyssa dove straight to the point. 

“Whoa, what are you talking about? A deal for what?”

“If you are to successfully cause Al Sah-him to fall out of favour with my father I will use my connections and power to give you back your freedom. I will offer you my assistance to leave this place and ensure that the League will never find you again. You shall not have to run anymore Felicity Smoak.” Nyssa spoke calmly in her straightforward manner with the air of someone making a very fair offer in a negotiation.

Felicity willed her face to remain impassive and not betray her by showing off it’s ability to convey a vast and animated array of emotions before asking, “And just how you do you suggestion I cause Al Sah-him to fall from grace? Hide somewhere and pretend that he’s lost me while babysitting me?”

“That would require some sacrifice on your part Felicity Smoak. You will need to copulate with him and be caught in the act. My father shall be furious. Al Sah-him will lose his position as Heir to the Demon, if not his life.”

Felicity took a deep breath and stared at Nyssa in disbelief, momentarily wondering if the other woman was playing an elaborate joke on her. This was starting to sound more and more like the plot of a sordid period novel of sorts.

“I’m going to assume you are serious because you don’t seem like the kind of woman who jokes around. But on what universe do you think that I would have sex with someone to help you gain your throne? And what makes you think your father would care who has sex with whom? And if he does get angry for some crazy-ass reason because by now I’m just convinced that you’re ALL crazy who’s to say that he wouldn’t just kill me right off the bat too?”

“My father would do a great many things but he will not kill you,” Nyssa responded calmly to Felicity’s outburst with the air of one explaining things to a high-strung child. 

“And you know this how?”

“You remind him of Mother.”

“And the level of crazy just went up WHOOSH,” Felicity waved her hand to imitate the motion of a rocket launching into the air. “Have you seen yourself and have you looked at me Nyssa? On what universe would I look like your mother?”

“I did not say you looked like Mother Felicity Smoak. I said you reminded him of her. You have her eyes and the same mannerisms and way of speaking. Father did not love anyone but he did love Mother very much. He was different before she died. Peaceful, happy and he loved us. But when she fell ill, he soon discovered that even with all his power and the Lazarus pit he was destined to lose her. The Lazarus pit could heal any wound or injury but it could not cure mere mortal terminal illness. A part of him died with Mother. He was never the same again.”

“Nyssa I am sorry about your mum and I want nothing more than to get out of here but your idea is insane. Even if you were right and Ra’s didn’t kill me so you could help me escape, what on Earth makes you think that Al Sah-him is just going to hop into bed with me. The man is Heir to the Demon like you said and he was given the responsibility of watching over me. He’s not going to throw it all away just to get laid.” Felicity mentally congratulated herself on both the speech and her rather convincing delivery of it. No one would suspect the smallest inkling of friendship between herself and Oliver.

“Do not insult my intelligence Felicity Smoak. One look at your petite stature, lack of physical skills and we all know you did not inflict those stomach wounds from five years ago. You may deny it all you want but Al Sah-him wanted you to escape.”

Felicity shook her head and shot Nyssa another incredulous look. “You can believe whatever conspiracy theories you want but the fact is why on earth do you think the man would jump into bed with me willy nilly.”

“He desires you greatly. I have ample proof of that.” Once again Nyssa was surely and steadily relaying her facts as if she wholeheartedly knew them to be the truth.

“And what is this proof you have that the man wants me,” Felicity rolled her eyes, despite her heart thumping away at a rapid pace. Did Oliver really want her? She knew he had an attachment to her of sorts, was fond of her perhaps, felt responsible for her. During moments like the one they had today, Felicity sometimes believed that maybe he did want her but she had been quick to push the thought aside, telling herself that he cared about her because he felt like he had failed her. To hear Nyssa repeatedly state that he wanted her in *that* way was incredibly confronting and exhilarating at the same time. 

“As Heir to the Demon he is allowed to keep a certain number of mistresses. He enjoyed the company of his women very much. After he was sent to monitor you he began to visit them less and less. After you escaped and he returned to the League, he sent all his mistresses back to their hometowns, setting them up with a sum of money to live out the rest of their lives comfortably. He has not taken a mistress in the last five years.”

“The fact that you know so much about the man’s love life is really disturbing,” Felicity snapped, suddenly feeling angry and not quite understanding why. She realized there must have been women in his past, she just hadn’t thought there would be that many, all at the same time, in plural. She took a few deep breaths before adding; “All this proves is that he doesn’t keep sex slaves anymore. Minor win for women’s right’s perhaps. Don’t see how this has anything to do with me.”

“Your insistence on being obtuse is ceasing to be amusing Felicity Smoak,” Nyssa snapped.

“And you want me to randomly prostitute myself out for my freedom,” Felicity shot back.

“I was the one who hired the assassin to attack you. He was instructed to attack but not to harm you or kill you. I knew Al Sah-him would keep watch over you and intervene to save you. He acted just as I predicted.”

“Oh so now you admit to being behind the attack on me and I’m supposed to trust you to help me escape?” Felicity scoffed, trying to hide the chill she felt inside. Nyssa had sacrificed one of her own people as a means to an end on her way to the throne.

“Al Sah-him is in love with you. He let you go and then tracked you down to watch you from afar because he could not bear to part ways with you forever. That was how I found you. I could not provide sufficient proof of this and father has always taken his side but I now have proof that he has continued to watch over you since you arrived and is your protector. You are a beautiful woman Felicity Smoak. Charming with that bright dazzling demeanor my father so loves. I am sure you know how to use those charms to get Al Sah-him to succumb to you.”

“Do you realize how insane your plan is Nyssa? I am not sleeping with a man I don’t have feelings for. It’s gross.” Her hands trembled under her cloak a little at this little white lie.

“Then you better resign yourself to a life as my father’s concubine,” Nyssa threatened, her frustration becoming evident. “My father is Ra’s Al Ghul and what he wants he will get. As I see it you have three choices. Spend the rest of your life in my father's bed, death or copulate with Al Sah-him who is at least young and handsome so you can regain your freedom. The choice is entirely yours Felicity Smoak.”

Felicity’s mind went racing as she sought out a suitable response. Saying no to Nyssa and gaining a new enemy was not an option. It would simply make things worse for both herself and Oliver. The woman had already demonstrated how ruthless she was by sending her own person as fodder to test out the waters with Felicity. She had to humor Nyssa somehow, let her think she was getting what she wanted. 

“At least give me some time to work on him. If I were to jump into his bed suddenly and he rejected me I think that could blow up in our faces don’t you?”

“Take your time but be aware that there is a deadline,” Nyssa smiled cordially, her mood improving upon receiving Felicity’s cooperation. “My father is not a patient man and whilst he enjoys his current game of trying to win you over, there will come a day when he will lose patience and simply takes what he wants from you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo.....did you like it???
> 
> On another note the next update will not be as fast as this one because I need to update More Than Blue for those readers!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!
> 
> *peers around and hides from her More Than Blue readers*
> 
> In honour of the sizzle reel released today I could not resist updating this fic! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it and thank you for reading!
> 
> I wanted to especially thank all you wonderful people who left me such enthusiastic comments in the last chapter! It was very lovely of you and made me all warm and fuzzy inside! *huggles*

Felicity sat in the rocking chair of Oliver’s little room and rocked herself to and fro absentmindedly as she mulled over Nyssa’s words for what must have been the thousandth time while pretending to read. She was literally rocking backwards and forwards just like a crazy person. All she needed was for the chair to be placed in the corner where his cot stood and she would complete the picture. Felicity let out a little chuckle at this image, earning a concerned glance from Oliver who was sharpening his own personal stash of sharp pointy weapons.

This had become a ritual for them, spending the evenings together in his room that is, not her rocking herself to and fro while he looked on with concern. Now that Nyssa was convinced she had Felicity’s full cooperation, the other woman went out of her way to make it convenient for Felicity to be alone with Oliver. Felicity’s servants were always dismissed early. Some evenings she would pretend to take long walks around the palace with Oliver in tow, a few steps behind her, other nights they simply retreated to their separate quarters before making their separate ways through the winding tunnels to meet in his little room. Felicity had always loved mazes as a child and made it a game to find her way to that little room via a different path each time. It was both a measure of precaution and a challenge for herself.

In pretending to cooperate with Nyssa, Felicity soon learned the extent of Nyssa’s reach and power, which was only second to that of Ra’s. There was a significant faction within the League that supported Nyssa in her cause. Oliver despite his position as Heir to the Demon was a loner with only a few trusted personal friends. It appeared that Oliver’s strategy was to create as few waves as possible, whilst attempting to soften Ra’s’ more tyrant decisions. For all his hang ups about the murderous monster that he was (something he liked to remind her of repeatedly, despite her constant protests that she didn’t believe he was any of these things), Felicity truly believed that Oliver was a good soul, who tried his best, within his limitations for the greater good. 

“Felicity what’s wrong?” Oliver asked her softly from across the room, concern evident in his voice. Felicity looked up to see him watching her with a worried crease in between his brows. 

“Nothing,” she replied automatically. “It’s nothing. I’ve just got a minor case of the blues. You know, this place. Walking around a place called the League of Assassins will get anyone down on a given day. And it’s winter. I’m not a winter kind of girl. I get cold! I run very cold.” She purposely avoided making any references to missing home or real life, knowing that Oliver was going to beat himself up if the subject ever came up.

He placed his tools down and scooted over next to her. Felicity leaned back on the rocking chair to get a good look at him. Dressed simply in what she deemed to be his league pyjamas, the man was a sight for sore eyes, more accurately her eyes. Based on looks and attraction alone, she could roll into bed with him just like that. Oddly now with Nyssa’s ultimatum, and her ever growing complicated feelings for him, that was strictly off the cards. 

“Felicity,” he stopped the chair and took her little hands, engulfing them in his giant palms, checking to see how cold they were. “I know something is up with you. You’ve hardly said a word and you’ve been staring off at nothing in particular, both things that you do not do normally so don’t tell me that nothing’s wrong. I’m worried about you. And stop claiming it’s because you’re cold! Even your head is covered up and the fireplace is making it boil in here.” 

He tweaked at her bunny eared beanie fondly, a gift from Nyssa when she had come back from her last mission. Nyssa had become very amiable and significantly friendlier now that she thought Felicity was working with her. One more thing to add to Felicity’s list of growing anxieties. When her jig was up and Nyssa found out that Felicity had no intention to deliver on her promise, there was going to be hell to pay. Felicity shuddered at the thought and gave an involuntary little shiver. 

“Me?” she responded innocently, trying to make her eyes as big and wide as possible. She may not have known Oliver for long but she knew the effect she had on him. Nyssa had been right about that to some extent. The man was fond of her and whilst she was not going to use it to betray him, she was not above using her feminine wiles to get him off her case until she thought this thing through. 

“You haven’t known me for very long Oliver! I have moments when I am quiet and reflective. I’m not always the motor mouth you think I am. Come to think of it I am offended at the idea that you should think I am incapable of being quiet and that there must be something wrong with me if…” 

He placed a rough finger gently on her lips to stop her rant. “You forget I watched you for two years. I think I known you pretty well Felicity.”

“I…I’ve grown!” she pouted at him, sticking her bottom lip out a bit lower when she could see his eyes crinkling in the corners, as he fought back a smile. 

“Fe-lic-it-ee,” he chastised, trying to maintain his stern look. “Talk to me?”

Felicity let out an audible sigh before leaning forward to gaze at him with her big blue eyes. “I promise I will tell you when I’m ready. Now is just not a good time and I feel like I have a lot of things I need to process myself before I can verbalise them to you? Is that okay?”

“Okay,” he echoed, not looking convinced but respecting her request nevertheless. 

***

“NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOO! Please don’t!!!!!!!” 

Oliver’s cries could be heard through the door that connected their adjoining rooms. Felicity had been warned by Oliver many times not to approach him under any circumstances. His reasoning was that he had done a great many things, killed a lot of people and the nightmares that plagued him were a common occurrence. He had made her promise that she was never to come and find him no matter what she heard. 

Despite his warnings Felicity had never heard any sounds from his room. She was a heavy sleeper and she suspected that Oliver stayed up every night to ensure that she would fall asleep first before he did. Tonight however sleep had eluded her. Try as she might she could not help but replay her entire situation with Nyssa in detail, in a loop over and over again in her head as she attempt to work out what to do without getting herself and most importantly Oliver killed in the process. 

Her first instinct was to run over to comfort him but remembering how serious he had been about her never approaching him, Felicity waited to see if he would calm down. The desperate shouts ceased and were replaced by a series of intelligible moans. It was then that Felicity decided that as his friend she could no longer endure this. She hopped off her bed and marched to the shared door, momentarily forgetting how cold it was and that she was wearing nothing but a pink singlet and pink pyjama pants with printed ice cream cones.

Felicity twisted the doorknob and to her relief found that it was unlocked. She padded softly on her bare feet into the dark room and approached the bed where Oliver’s moans could still be heard. Grappling in the dark, Felicity fumbled around for him, before finding a warm mass which she assumed to be him. She patted him awkwardly as if he were a beloved pet of some sort. 

“Oliver,” she whispered. “Oliver it’s me Felicity. It’s going to be ok Oliver. I’m here.” She continued stroking him awkwardly, praying that her hand was not touching anything it shouldn’t be touching. His moans died down and Felicity wondered to herself if it was time to stop stroking him now. Whatever nightmares he was having, her touch had calmed him down. If she continued anymore it would look like she was trying to take advantage of him. There was something decidedly odd about wondering around in the dark, touching attractive broody men in random places. 

Gingerly Felicity removed her hands and tried to move away from the bed. Within a matter of seconds and before she could register what was happening, Felicity found herself on her back with her arms pinned to his bed. 

“Oliver, Oliver it’s me Felicity. You were having really loud nightmares and I couldn’t bear to hear anything so heartbreaking so I came over to try and comfort you. Oliver! Wake up and don’t ninja poke me in your sleep!” she whispered as loudly as possible for a whisper. 

“Felicity,” Oliver relaxed his grip and let go of her arms as he let out a huge groan. “Felicity I told you not to come over in the middle of the night no matter what you hear.” 

“You sounded distraught,” she answered stubbornly. “I couldn’t face you tomorrow knowing I left you alone in that state for the entire night.”

“I could have hurt you badly or worse killed you.”

“You always say that but I know you could never do that. You would never hurt me.” She sat up on his bed and pulled her knees up to her chin.

“Felicity this is not some kind of joke. I’m….I’m dangerous.” Even in the dark, Felicity could imagine the pain in his eyes as he repeated this speech to her about how dangerous and lethal he was. 

“Maybe to other people but not to me. I don’t care what you say Oliver, even if you insist on saying it over and over again. You let me go and then carved up your stomach to cover for me, when you really should have brought me in. If I was just another mission, if you had the ability to hurt me then we wouldn’t be here right now.”

“Felicity…” he protested helplessly in frustration.

“Don’t you Felicity me,” she retorted, feeling bold despite the fact that sitting here in his room, on his bed was the last place she should be. “Come here.”

“What?” he sounded adorably confused even in the dark.

“Come over here Oliver. Next to me. I have ways to ward off nightmares,” she coaxed him gently. “Hmm that sounded like I was hitting on you! I meant platonic ways to ward off bad dreams. Don’t worry I will not take advantage of your shy boyish self.”

Felicity heard the sheets rustling and felt his presence next to her. He was probably fighting off a smile in the dark. She propped herself up on a pillow and reached over to pull him towards her, cradling him in her arms, urging his head to rest in the crook of her neck. Feeling even more bold and reckless she kissed the top of his head. 

“I may be tiny but I’m pretty damn cuddly according to Mr Panda so you stay here until you drift off to sleep. You want another head kiss? Head kisses are platonic right?”

“Felicity,” he laughed no longer able to contain himself. She pressed another kiss on top of his head. Platonically. She was not going to count head kisses. They stayed in that position for a while and gradually she could feel his breathing even out. 

“Sometimes I see them. My parents,” he said suddenly. “They were killed by Ra’s when I was seven. His assassins killed them and I was next but he spared me. He saw something in me. The potential to raise a monster so he took me in and I fulfilled that potential. I became the monster he knew I could be. I am the right hand man, the heir to the man who killed my parents Felicity.”

Not quite knowing what to say but not wanting him to misinterpret her silence as her condemnation of him, Felicity pulled him in tighter to her chest. “Oh Oliver,” she finally managed to speak. “You were just a little boy. Just a baby really and the crazy nut job took you in and subject you to a lifetime of abuse and brainwashing. No child, no person, should have to live that life Oliver.” 

Felicity could feel the tears prickling in her eyes as she held him in her arms. Despite everything he had been through Oliver had found it in himself to rise above his upbringing. 

“Hey don’t cry Felicity,” Oliver moved out of her arms and sat up, reaching out for her. He was decidedly more graceful and precise. No random groping from him. She briefly wondered if he had super senses to go with his superspy skills.

“I’m sorry Oliver. I know it has nothing to do with me but I wish I could make it better for you.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, suddenly feeling very silly that she had burst into tears while he was sharing his past with her. 

“You have,” he responded gently. “Before I was assigned to observe you I was dead inside. All my years with the League had killed any capacity I had to feel. I didn’t see people. I just saw threats and targets. And then I saw you and I was horrified. You with your crazy make up, stringy hair and big chip on your shoulder.”

“You know I try very hard to forget that you saw me during my Goth phase,” Felicity could feel herself blush furiously as she pressed her head against his shoulder.

“You were such a little gremlin but I remember being so outraged and annoyed by the things you did and said. I went back to Ra’s a few times and tried to get him to let me off your assignment. It was all so new to me and I was terrified. I was a stone cold assassin and I had always been above feeling anything or having any reaction towards a target and here I was constantly being annoyed by you.”

“So what changed?” Felicity asked him softly, wanting very much to know how he morphed into the man he was today. The man who had tried so hard to protect her freedom. 

“I’m not sure,” he answered, moving closer to her as she sensed him gazing at her in the dark. “You were so…you. So very Felicity. Somewhere along the way I grew accustomed to you. I celebrated your highs, mourned your lows and for a brief period of time I lived in the perfect delusion that I was going to get to watch you from afar forever. Until…” His voiced trailed off.

“Until Ra’s ordered you to bring me in,” Felicity finished for him. 

She shivered, the mention of Ra’s suddenly reminding her of how cold she was sitting there in the cold winter air with very little clothing on. Instinctively Oliver wrapped his arms around her, pulling her neatly onto his lap, rubbing her arms up and down to warm her. She could feel his face edging closer, their noses practically touching. 

Felicity felt a strong urge to lean in and press her lips against his. It wouldn’t take much, just another few inches until their lips met. She knew that they both needed this, that they both wanted this but Oliver was never going do anything unless she kissed him first. And Felicity wanted to kiss him. So very badly. She wanted nothing more than to close that distance and melt into him but she knew that if she started this, she wouldn’t be able to stop. And they had to stop because taking this any further without telling him the whole truth would be a betrayal to him. Even if she did manage to stop at just a kiss, Felicity didn’t want their first kiss tainted by a secret. Oliver had been through so much, had survived so much, she wanted to be able to give him something good and true to call his own. They would just have to wait. 

“It’s so c…cold,” she shivered, tilted her head away, breaking their little moment. 

“You should go back to your room,” he said gently. “You’ve got a fire lit in there, it’s too cold for you here.”

“I can’t go back. You might have nightmares again.” Felicity couldn’t bring herself to leave him. Not while he was probably feeling rejected by her. 

“Felicity I have had nightmares all my life. I’ll live. I don’t need very much sleep.”

“But you have me,” Felicity pouted at him in the dark.

“I do?” he asked sounding confused.

“Yes you do. You have me and I pretty much cured your nightmares when I first snuck into your room so…how about a platonic cuddle?”

“Felicity this is a really bad idea.”

“I said platonic didn’t I?” Felicity challenged him in the dark. “Just think of me as something nice and small that you can cuddle.” 

“Nice, small and talkative?” he couldn’t resist the urge to tease her.

“I promise I won’t talk,” she said earnestly.

“I love hearing your voice.”

“Who’s the chatty one now?” Felicity giggled as she pushed him down flat on the bed and crawled towards him. He gave up and scooped her into his arms, wrapping his gigantic limbs around her as if she were a little doll for him to cuddle.

“Is this too tight?” he whispered into her hair.

“It’s cosy and warm,” Felicity smiled contently, closing her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be more plot driven! I couldn't resist this fluff today! 
> 
> I am REALLY sorry if you are a More Than Blue reader. I keep getting hit on the head by this fic and when that happens I need to write it!
> 
> I will update More Than Blue eventually but I figured they are in a good place there so we can leave them there right now! 
> 
> If you haven't read More than Blue then carry on and ignore this! =P


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Folks
> 
> Your next chapter!
> 
> Enjoy!

Felicity was lost in thought again, this time in the library when Oliver came through the door. He had been called in for a meeting with Ra’s and she had waited nervously while Nerine took over outside. There was something that unsettled Felicity tremendously. She did not know why and had no good reason for it. Oliver had been called into meetings with Ra’s many times she didn’t see why this time should be any different. Perhaps she was simply dreading him being called away to another mission, something that had happened before but for some reason this time Felicity felt it would simply be unbearable to be away from him. She reasoned that her fear of Ra’s was taking over based on what Nyssa had told her about Ra’s intentions towards her.

“What did he want?” Felicity asked at once, scrambling out of her chair and sprinting towards him.

“Hey, hey steady,” he said gently, squeezing her shoulder lightly as she stood facing him.

“He wanted me to give you this,” Oliver held up a battered, bullet-ridden laptop for her to see. “He needs the data off this laptop.”

“Oh, is that all?” Felicity felt a momentary glimpse of relief until she caught the look of hesitation on Oliver’s face. “And that’s not all. Do you have to go away again?”

“Yes. Depending on what you are able to salvage from the machine I am to track down a man called Damien Darhk and eliminate him.”

“Damien Darhk?” Felicity queried, raising an incredulous eyebrow. “I’m guessing dude is evil right? No one goes around calling them selves that if they are a good protector of humankind. Or maybe mummy and daddy were evil? Part of the evil empire perhaps?”

“He’s not a good person that’s for sure. He leads an organisation called HIVE, which is involved in a project called Genesis. We don’t know the scale of it yet but we think thousands of people could be killed if we don’t stop Darhk.” Oliver looked like he wanted to say something else but stopped himself. 

“There’s something else that you’re not telling me? What is it Oliver?” Felicity reached out and grabbed his arm. “Please just tell me otherwise my vivid imagination will go into overdrive and what I come up with might well be much worse than what you’re not telling me.”

“Damien Darhk is not just a normal League trained fighter. He was once the other contender for the position of Ra’s Al Ghul. Much like Nyssa and I. When he failed to ascend to Ra’s he fled and stole a supply of water from the Lazarus Pit. He created his own sect called HIVE, a much darker and more sinister offshoot of the League. Ra’s for all of his cutthroat ways is a king in his own right and has his own set of warped morals. He aims to provide balance in the world. HIVE sets out to create chaos and upheaval.”  
“You can beat him, I know you can beat him. I may not have been here long but I hear whispers about how your skills rival those possessed by Ra’s. You’ll beat him and you’ll come back.” She looked at him pleadingly, realising that she was trying to convince herself more than him.

“He has a magic totem that gives him mystical powers. We need to stop him and retrieve this totem because those powers he gets come directly from death. I suspect that Project Genesis is about causing as much death as possible to increase his powers.” He paused for a minute and rubbed his temples. “I need to find that totem and destroy it. Ra’s has instructed me to bring it back but no one should hold that amount of power. Especially not a man like Ra’s.”

Felicity flinched upon hearing the words Ra’s and power. Oliver who was extremely perceptive when it came to her asked her immediately, “Felicity what’s wrong? You flinch every time I mention Ra’s. This isn’t the first time either and I’ve noticed it ever since I came back. You were much less scared of him when you first arrived here. Talk to me please Felicity?”

“Let me get this data off the laptop and we’ll talk. I promise we’ll talk when I’m done. It’s too complicated for me to just tell you and then drop the subject and move onto a new task.” She smiled a tiny smile at him and gave his hand a little squeeze.

“Sure. I’ll take you to your lab and sit there while you work,” he replied manoeuvring her small hand into his. They did that a lot these days. Touching far more than what was appropriate for their friendship considering the place that they were both in. However like moths to a flame they often found themselves curled up beside each other every night, detaching only in the wee hours of the morning before anyone could see them. They never discussed it but they both lived for those quiet moments at night in the dark, which gave them the strength to wake up each and everyday because they had each other.

***

“The information you requested,” Felicity muttered as she placed the drive on the little table closest to her. Knowing everything Nyssa had told her, she didn’t want to offer the file directly to Ra’s himself. He had left her well alone enough since their last encounter, bar summoning her for a few banquets where he had made various toasts about her, causing Felicity to upset a few plates and cups but this was the extent of their contact. There had been no more private encounters and for this Felicity thanked her lucky stars. 

Today she had been instructed to meet him in his private office to hand over the files rather than the throne room, which had always been where she met him every time she completed a task. Felicity could feel the gnawing, lingering dread spread in her stomach. Still she did her best to calm herself down, reasoning that Oliver was only just outside the room. She had insisted he stay outside, frightened that their closeness would reveal itself if they were to be near each other within the proximity of Ra’s.

“I’m going to head out now. If you need another computer related task done you know where to send word.” She turned about and attempted to sail out nonchalantly only to feel a hand grab her shoulder, causing her to freeze on the spot, her shoulder muscles stiffening to the point of pain.

“Leaving so soon my dear Felicity,” Ra’s purred at her.

“Well I figured you’re a busy Evil Overlord. And I’m sure you’ll summon if you have another task for me.” She wasn’t sure where or how she still had the courage to sass him and perhaps it wasn’t her brightest move but the words just rolled off her tongue easily.

Ra’s let out an amused chuckle, his hand still on her shoulder. “You have such a low opinion of me my sweet little Felicity. Can’t I just keep you here to compliment you on your great work? You’ve decrypted the plans for Genesis within just a few hours. Brains as well as beauty. It is to be greatly admired.”

“Yeah thanks for the creepy compliment. You said I was to stay here and use my computer skills to complete whatever tasks you wanted me to do. I’ve kept my end of the bargain so I’m going to leave now because I don’t think your compliments to me have the positive effect that you intend for them to have.”

She endeavoured to walk out again but this time Ra’s made an even bolder move and grabbed her hand, attempting to hold it. Felicity yanked her hand away and tried to run only to have him grip her hand firmly and spin her around. For a split second terror overtook her as Nyssa’s words came rushing into her head. She briefly pondered screaming for help, knowing that Oliver would rush in but then all hell would break loose and she hadn’t even had the chance to explain everything to him yet. As scared as she was of Ra’s she needed to hold her own and maintain some semblance of self-control, if only just long enough to see what game he was playing. She lifted her face up and glared at him defiantly, her eyes flashing with fury. 

The spark of rage may have given her more courage and grounded her but it only served to entrance Ra’s some more. For Felicity standing there with her sparkling aquamarine eyes, defiant expression and blood red lips looked lovelier than anything or anyone Ra’s had seen in his long life. 

“Felicity maybe we need to find a way for you to be near me more often so that you can see how sincere I am when I tell you how much I admire your spirit, beauty and brains. You have such a fire inside you. I want to see if it can burn for me.”

Before he could advance any further towards her, Felicity tore her arm out of his grip and ran hurtling towards the door, her shoulder crashing into the hard wooden structure as she pulled it open and ran. Felicity ran and ran and ran. She had to get away from here. As far, far away as possible. She was oblivious to her surroundings as she pushed her body with all her might. She didn’t notice Oliver calling out to her and didn’t see Ra’s’ smug smile as he watched a panicked Oliver sprint after her.

***

“Felicity!!!! Felicity,” Oliver called as he reached the North Garden where Felicity had vanished into the maze of bushes and trees. He immediately ventured off the path, cutting across thick greenery before finding her sitting down, hugging her knees on a bare patch of dying grass. This was their spot, the spot they often wandered to, away from the prying eyes of the League. 

The North Garden was one spot within the immaculately manicured palace that had been left without care. Weeds and wild shrubbery had over taken this piece of land. Felicity had learned from Nyssa that the North Garden was once the most beautiful in Nanda Parbat. It had been her mother’s pride and joy and she had tended to it every day with a small team of helpers. After his favourite concubine passed away Ra’s had declared the North Garden to be an abandoned zone. No one was to set foot in the place. Upon hearing this, Felicity had immediately taken it upon herself to drag Oliver here from time to time. It was the one place besides his little room where she felt truly safe from Ra’s and Nyssa’s minions and it had the added advantage of being much easier and inconspicuous to get to than Oliver’s little room. 

“Felicity what happened?” Oliver sat down cross-legged in front of her, his arms on her shoulders as he tilted his head to get a good look at her face. 

She looked shaken and visibly upset but no tears were evident. Felicity never ceased to surprise him. She was often teary whenever he brought up his past, notably when he had told her about his parent’s role in wiping out the Glades in his old hometown. She had cradled him in her arms that night and refused to let him go while she sniffled into his hair. But here right now, despite the fact that her whole body was shaking and her face as ashen, not a single tear could be found.

“Felicity say something,” he pleaded. 

Slowly she looked up and crawled over to his side, scurrying onto his lap as if it were a perfectly natural position for her to be sitting in. She couldn’t remember if she had ever sat in his lap or not but considering the fact that she slept in his arms most nights, this seemed like it was an inconsequential action in the great scheme of things. 

As Oliver ran his fingers through her curls Felicity told him everything. She told him about her first meeting with Ra’s, how she had felt uneasy about his comments and all the gifts. She told him about Nyssa’s theory on Ra’s’ obsession with her and her resemblance to his deceased concubine, about the deal that Nyssa had offered her and how she, Felicity, was still currently stringing Nyssa along for fear of the other woman’s wrath. Finally Felicity told Oliver about her terrifying exchange with Ra’s tonight. 

As her voice faltered, Oliver’s grip on her tightened, his hand cinching protectively around her waist. When the final sentences of her tale were uttered he immediately sprang to his feet, lifting her into his arms.

“We need to go. Immediately. You need to leave here at once.” His voice was stern and no nonsense, albeit there was a note of panic in it. 

“Oliver, you’re not making sense. Put me down. Go where? What are you talking about?” This wasn’t the reaction she had been expecting. Truth be told Felicity wasn’t sure what reaction she had been expecting. Maybe that he’d be worried and a bit hurt she hadn’t confided in him sooner. Anger at Nyssa perhaps. She wasn’t sure what to make of this rather determined, yet panicked attitude he had taken on.

“I am getting you out of here tonight. Far, far away. You’re never coming back here again even if I have to use my life to pay for your freedom,” he answered, striding through the bushes with her still in his arms.

“Oliver, you’re not making sense. You let me go once and you said that Ra’s suspects you of it and that forcing you to guard me is his low-key way of punishing you. He has an army of assassins who will track me down right away. I know you want to protect me but you can’t just send me away from here tonight,” Felicity protested, trying to squirm her way out of his arms in an attempt to slow him down. Her efforts were futile as he was simply too strong and he continued to hold her, marching along as if she were a cotton pillow instead of a full-grown woman.

“He will let you go if I pay the right price for it. It’s part of the League’s laws. One life shall pay for another’s. When I go public he will have no choice but to accept my offer of a life for a life and set you free. Nyssa will see that he accepts it since she wants nothing more than to get rid of me as a threat to the throne once and for all.” Oliver’s tone was calm and collected; as if he had told Felicity he was going to offer Ra’s a fruit basket in exchange for her freedom.

“Oliver, you’re not making sense! You can’t just offer to trade your life for mine! You can’t die for me. You can’t Oliver,” she tried to lunge out of his arms in an attempt to stop him from moving, nearly toppling headfirst onto the ground in the process. He caught her just in time, her little dive bomb forcing him to halt to change grips. Felicity seizing the opportunity, wormed her way out of his arms and onto the ground. She threw her arms around his waist and pressed her head against his chest in an effort to calm him down.

“Oliver you need to stop and talk to me. You’re not making any sense right now!”

“Dammit Felicity this is the ONLY thing I’ve done in my whole life that makes any sense. It’s the only decision that I’ve ever been sure about.”

“It’s crazy Oliver. If you will just pause and talk to me, we can think of a way to get ourselves out of here. Both of us. Stop this foolish thinking and talk about this some more,” Felicity pleaded once again.

“After everything you’ve told me he’s not going to leave you alone for much longer. I need to get you out of here before he does something inconceivable to you.”

“What about your mission? I read those plans I accessed and Damian Darhk pretty much plans to murder thousands of people. What happens to them if you don’t stop him? Say you die; I get set free and someone else stops Darhk, what happens when Ra’s gets his hand on the totem? He has a pit that gives him eternal life Oliver! What happens when he gets magical powers as well? If you’re going to sacrifice your life may as well go out with a bang to stop Darhk and stop Ra’s from gaining his hands on more power. Don’t throw away your life for one person. I’m just one girl Oliver.”

Without missing a beat Oliver cups her face in his hands. “But you’re the girl that I love. And knowing that you are happy and safe is all that matters to me. I love you Felicity.”

“Oh.”

Before she could say anymore or launch into another one of her ill timed rants, his lips lightly pressed onto hers. The kiss started out gentle, then built up in intensity, soft but bruising at the same time, his tongue parting her lips. His kisses both soothed and inflamed her at the same time. Her lips parted and his tongue slipped inside to meet hers. Felicity could feel her body go limp as she melded into him, feeling completely and utterly lost in his kiss. Suddenly nothing mattered anymore because she was here, alone with him and he was wonderful, the living incarnation of everything she had ever dreamed of in the last five years. 

***

Their first kiss and the many kisses that followed had distracted Oliver long enough to momentarily abandon his desperate plan, at least for the night. Felicity miraculously managed to persuade him to escort her back to her quarters in his capacity as her bodyguard without any further drama. 

As night fell and the servants left, they once again found themselves in their nightly ritual. However this time things were different, their relationship was now different and they could no longer hide behind whatever ridiculous platonic barriers they had previously imposed and convinced themselves existed. 

“You know how you said that knowing I’m happy and safe is all that matters to you?” Felicity asked, her body pressed against Oliver’s in the dark room. “Well I can only be happy with you in my life. I can only feel safe with you. You do realise that right?”

“Felicity…” Oliver sighed, the pain in his voice evident.

“She won’t let anything happen to me you know. Nyssa will make sure I’m safe when you’re away. I haven’t delivered on my promise to her yet as far as she’s concerned and if Ra’s were to succeed in…um…in obtaining me, her plan would fall apart because you would still be Heir to the Demon. What she needs is for you to be publicly caught committing some unforgiveable act towards Ra’s. Until then it’s in her best interests to keep me away from Ra’s because she sees me as your main weakness.” She snuggled further into him, enjoying the warmth emanating from his body.

“You are my weakness Felicity,” he mumbled, tightening his arms around her as if they would keep out all the hurt and danger in the world.

“I’d like to think that I can make you stronger,” Felicity whispered. “Fight to have a life with me and for us to be together Oliver. Because I need you as much as you need me. I love you.”

He held her tightly for a few moments, his lips pressed to the top of her head. Gently he rolled her on her back and began kissing her with abandon. He would only steal kisses from her tonight because anything more would make it too painful for him when he eventually had to part with her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!
> 
> Hope you missed me =P
> 
> I have been a good girl and working on More Than Blue!
> 
> But it's your turn now! Hope you enjoy your latest update!

“You need to be able to protect yourself,” Oliver told her with a look of determination on his face as he led her through his collection of weapons. It was amazing the sheer amount of things he was able to stash and fit into his secret bunker as she liked to call it. They did not have much time until he was due to depart and the last thing on Felicity’s mind was a last ditch effort to learn combat skills. Skills that would prove to be useless and futile, in a place crawling with assassins all under Ra’s rule.

“Oliver I am a fast learner and a woman with a number of talents but I don’t think you are going to make a ninja of me in a day,” she joked, her smile a bit brighter and forced than she had intended. There was nothing but a feeling of dread gnawing within her. She didn’t want him to go. Not because she was afraid for her own safety but because she was afraid she would never see him again. Somehow this felt different from his previous missions. As if the stakes were higher this time. Felicity couldn’t shake the feeling of wondering when she would ever see him again.

“Felicity,” he sighed. “I’m not going to be around for a few days and with everything going on with Ra’s I need to at least know that you can defend yourself.”

“Oliver I could lie to you and take a few half hearted lessons in self defence but realistically we both know I cannot fight off Ra’s or an army, no make that ONE of his assassins. If I am to get out of any jam it will be through using my brain, not by trying to fight back with brute force.” As she spoke Felicity stared at the array of weapons in fascination. There were daggers of different makes and sizes, throwing stars, different types of arrows and a case full of little vials of what she guessed was poison in multiple colours. Felicity wondered if they were different strengths of poisons or perhaps some sort of drugs to incapacitate one’s victims. 

“What are all these bottles Oliver?” Felicity asked in fascination as she touched the little vials, all neatly lined up and colour coded in a row. 

“The coloured ones incapacitate in various ways, inflicting various degrees of pain,” he answered reluctantly.

“What about the clear ones?”

“The clear ones are used to kill, to straight out poison the victim and cause death.”

“Is it a painful death?” Felicity asked curiously inspecting the vials before her. 

“Felicity…You really don’t need to know about these things. Especially when we have far more important things to focus on.” He closed his eyes, running one hand through his hair and tugging at it in frustration. “What do you think of the dagger I chose for you? Is it comfortable in your hand?”

“I don’t want to spend what precious little time we have together learning a few moves that would only let me run away for a few seconds. Nyssa will keep me safe as long as she thinks I still have a role to play in her grand plan to ruin your reputation in front of Ra’s. As for Ra’s himself…” Felicity paused for a minute, looking away, her eyes making their way back to the little vials again.

“Ra’s is a maniac king who wants you,” Oliver clenched his fists. “And what he wants he will get eventually.”

“That’s what Nyssa also said but I read him a little differently,” Felicity placed her hand over his clenched ones, uncurling his fingers softly before wrapping her hands around his forearm, stroking them gently. “Has he ever forced a woman before? And by forced I mean physically forced? See he strikes me as being too arrogant for that. He will manipulate and force acquiesce but I don’t believe he will physically lay a hand on me without my consent.”

“Felicity it’s practically the same thing,” Oliver cried, slamming one hand on the table. “I can’t go on this mission. He can have his totem; someone will get it for him. I need to get you out of here.” 

“One threat is imminent whereas the other requires more time and planning Oliver. At this point we still have time. Ra’s is batshit crazy but whenever he speaks to me or leers at me there is some delusional part of him that still believes one day I will look at him that way. He is going to try to win me over for a while yet in his own twisted looney tunes way because I remind him of his great love. Without a plan we’re not going to get out of here Oliver. And if we make any sudden rash moves we will give him the perfect excuse to cite whatever League laws he wants to trap us. You grew up in this place, you of all people should know better than this.”

Felicity reached out for his hand again and buried her face into his chest for a few seconds before looking up at him beseechingly. “Please just promise me you’ll be careful and come back to me. I promise you that nothing bad is going to happen to me but you need to come back to me okay?”

“You’re asking a lot of me Felicity. You’re asking me to go away and leave you in the den of the lion.” He cupped her cheek with one hand before pulling her into his chest for a crushing hug as if pressing her into his body would alleviate some of the pain he was feeling right now.

“I’m asking you to trust me. Trust that I will be ok. Trust that I can take care of myself so that you can defeat Darhk, destroy that totem and come back to me.” A single tear fell down her cheek as she looked up at him and suddenly Felicity didn’t feel so strong anymore. She didn’t want him to leave, didn’t want to say goodbye. She wanted to be in his embrace, to be tucked away safely in his arms always. 

Slowly Felicity stood up on her tippy toes and pressed her lips gently against his. She needed to kiss him, to be kissed by him before he left. Her kiss started out soft and were returned by him with an equal gentleness. But the soft fluttery kisses soon gave way to something more primal, more needy, and more desperate. Despite their bond, living in close proximity and the overwhelmingly intense feelings that had engulfed them, they had held back. Despite the declarations of love neither had sought anything more than euphoric kisses and the contentment of being in each other’s arms. However in this moment it was painfully obvious that passionate kisses and embraces were no longer enough. They both needed more. Their kisses grew desperate and needy as they both realised what was going to happen next. Felicity let out a little moan as she wound her arms around his neck and felt Oliver gently lift her off the ground, carrying her to his cot.

***

“If we just stay here forever, how long do you think it will take until they find us?” Felicity asked as she snuggled further into Oliver’s body, his arms wrapping around her tightly in response.

“I think we’d run out of food eventually Felicity. Plus you’d get sick of eating nothing but protein bars,” he chuckled, kissing the top of her curly hair.

“I’d eat anything if it meant just being with you. Alone. Away from everything.” She lifted her head and rested her chin on his chest, gazing up at him earnestly.

“I know honey, I know,” he replied softly. “There was a time when I stupidly deluded myself into thinking that Ra’s would have let me watch over you for years and years and how heart broken but yet happy I’d be when I’d see you older and wiser, happy and in someone else’s arms. I’ve always just wanted for you to be safe and happy. I never dreamed that one day you’d be mine but under these circumstances.”

“Why do you think Ra’s sent you to watch over me? I assume he didn’t grab me when I was younger because he wanted me to hone my skills at MIT. He could have grabbed me at any point in time when he deemed I was skillful enough to be useful to the League.” Felicity sat up, her thinking face clearly evident as she wrinkled her forehead.

Despite the rather depressing discussion topic, Oliver could not help but take a moment to admire how adorable Felicity was, sitting there with a quizzical look on her face, unaware that the blanket they shared was no longer draped on her body and that her assets were on full display. Despite having gotten up close and personal with those assets earlier Oliver could not help but feel his heart race and his cheeks fire up as he gazed at the lovely creature before him.

“That was one thing that never made sense to me. At first I thought it was him wanting to teach me a lesson. To have me do a non-combat assignment, something I was very against to test my patience or teach me a lesson in patience. Ra’s has a very strange way of thinking so I didn’t put it past him but still two years was a long time to teach me a lesson. As soon as you told me about your conversation with Nyssa everything suddenly became clear. You’re his ultimate prize Felicity. He must have seen you once or twice from afar and decided you were going to replace his lost love. Ra’s is very controlling and protective of what he thinks is his. He was happy for you to have whatever freedom he deemed suitable but I suspect he had me monitor you so that he could jump in and pull the plug if you did anything he deemed to be outside of what he thought was acceptable.”

“Lucky aren’t I to have caught the eye of that one,” Felicity rolled her eyes. “I still can’t work out why I resemble his dead concubine! Honestly is there anything about me that makes you think I’d be a ringer for Nyssa’s mother?”

“Ra’s from what I understand is…old. And I don’t mean just elderly. He has used the Lazarus Pit to preserve his life for possibly centuries. He comes from a different time and place where their definition of love is different and twisted. So I can buy that initially you were just Noah Kuttler’s daughter, someone the League pegged as being useful to repay her father’s debt. When he laid eyes on you he probably decided he was in love with you and set off the chain of events that we’re faced with today.”

Seeing Felicity’s incredulous and horrified face, he gently nudged her to lie down on his body again and softly nuzzled his nose against hers, before kissing her gently on her lips. “The only thing that makes sense Felicity is why he fell in love with you. You are so very, very lovely.”

“When did you fall in love with me?” Felicity asked, eager to change the subject. The last thing she wanted was to be discussing Ra’s while relishing in the feeling of Oliver’s arms around her.

“I honestly don’t know,” Oliver answered truthfully. There was no definitive moment that he could think of. Somewhere along the way it felt like he had always been in love with her. Those five torturous years where he had tried to make peace with the fact that he would never see her again were the hardest and most bittersweet of his life. 

“I can hardly remember life before you. I was a different person before you Felicity. I did what I was told. I was completely devoted to the League and I never lost sight of my missions. Everyone was either a threat or a target…until you came along. You with your smart mouth, white make up and stringy black hair. You made me feel alive again. There was just something about you.”

“Oh we need to pretend you didn’t see the Goth phase,” Felicity groaned, hiding her face in his chest.

“Even before you went blonde and work pink dresses with cutouts in them you brought so much colour into my life Felicity. When I received the order to bring you in something in me snapped. It was as if the old chains that had bound me to the League were severed. Keeping you safe and free was all I cared about.”

He paused, a sad haunted look washed over his handsome features. “That’s still all that I care about. I would give anything for you to be safe and happy. I would happily lay down my life for it.”

“You keep forgetting I need you in my life to be happy,” Felicity caressed his cheek as she spoke. “I thought of you, you know. Every day for five years I thought about you. Even during the phases where I had settled down and wasn’t on the run. Sometimes I wondered if you were a figment of my imagination. We’re in this together now. Maybe if you had never cared, maybe if you had just taken me in things would be different but as it stands I don’t think you and I will ever feel whole again without each other.”

Closing her eyes and snuggling closer to him Felicity whispered, “I know you have to go soon. I don’t want to say goodbye so can you just hold me until I fall asleep. Before you leave. And promise me that you’ll come back to me.”

“I love you,” was all Oliver said as he held her, gently stroking her hair until she drifted off to sleep. When she woke up he was gone.

***

“Have you made any progress on our agreement,” Nyssa asked as she led Felicity to her computer lab where she was to complete the next task Ra’s wanted. Something was different this time; Nyssa seldom escorted Felicity anywhere herself or sat in with her while she did her work. This felt like a momentous occasion some how. Like some big actions and consequences were going to come into play.                                                    

“No,” Felicity replied, avoiding eye contact not wishing to elaborate any further for fear of giving herself away. She had never been a good liar and she was sure that any conversation directly about Oliver or her actually saying his name would give her away.

“Just no?” Nyssa asked irritably. “You have had months alone with him and all you can say is no? You do not even have a reason for your failure? I have seen the way he gazes at you. There is no reason why this should be a challenging task for you. Or are you foolish enough to be equally enamoured with him and you don’t wish to betray him anymore?”

“What do you want from me Nyssa? I don’t want to hurt anyone. Not Al Sah-him, not even you. So please excuse me if I am finding it hard to destroy someone else’s life.” Felicity shrugged her shoulders before stalking ahead, storming into the lab and booting up her machines.

“So what does the tyrant want from me today?” she asked in a flat tone, giving Nyssa a dull glare.

“He requires you to hack into the air force’s systems and commandeer a drone. Once you have seized control of the drone you are to launch a drone strike on this location,” Nyssa informed her calmly.

“Drone strike? Are you insane???? Do you know how many civilians that will kill?” Felicity asked, not quite believing what her ears were hearing, what she was being asked to do.

“There are no civilians at this location. Damian Darhk is believed to be conducting HIVE operations here. We have it on good authority that he is currently residing in that base. If you can annihilate the base with the drone strike, Darhk will be eliminated. Whatever views you may hold about my father I can assure you that his tyranny and ruthlessness comes nowhere near that of Darhk’s.” 

Without another word Felicity turned to her computers and began to work. She may not completely trust Nyssa but Oliver had told her enough about Darhk for Felicity to believe that Nyssa was telling the truth. Ra’s was someone they had to deal with another day but right now taking out one of the branches of the axis of evil seemed like a good enough idea.

As her fingers flew at the keyboard, her code weaving it’s way through the government’s databases with ease a thought crossed Felicity’s mind. If her task was to launch a drone strike on Darhk and HIVE what was Oliver being sent away for?

Subtly and without any disturbance, Felicity launched another search on the coordinates she had been ordered to strike. If there were any cameras in that location she could hack into them and take a peek. Nyssa seemed preoccupied and fairly disinterested in her coding to keep a sharp eye on her. Felicity had always been curious about the infamous evil HIVE anyway after hearing snippets here and there from within the league. Before she flattened their operations it would not hurt to satisfy her love of mysteries and take a look around to see what the more modern evil conglomerate was up to.

It wasn’t long before she found what she was looking for. Felicity bit her tongue sharply to prevent herself from letting out an audible gasp at the sight that greeted her. She felt a wave of panic and her head spinning as she stared at the live video footage of Oliver working out during what she presumed was his down time.

She had not been ordered to conduct a drone strike on HIVE headquarters. She had been ordered to strike the League safe house where Oliver was residing. Ra’s had planned it so she would be single handedly responsible for murdering the man she loved.

***

Adrenalin took over as Felicity began to type furiously. A series of panic-stricken thoughts crossed her mind but she pushed them aside as she worked to execute the first plan that came to her head. Her hands shook slightly as she finally achieved what as a very basic hack. Refraining from letting out an audible sigh of relief, Felicity began to send a series of messages to Oliver’s phone while watching him on the miniature window she had sent up on her screen.

_Oliver this is Felicity._

_Get out of the house right now._

_Get out of that house right now and destroy the totem if you have it._

_Ra’s has ordered a hit on you and is using me to do it._

_I will be sending a drone to your location on ten minutes._

_Ten minutes Oliver I need you to get out now._

_Do not return to the League. Ra’s wants you dead._

_I love you Oliver. I will always love you._

_If you love me stay alive and try to be happy somewhere far far away from here._

_Do not come back._

_Look at the camera and nod if you understand this message._

Felicity could not fathom the amount of relief and joy she felt the moment Oliver turned to the camera and nodded. She could see his lips moving, mouthing the words “I love you Felicity.” To her relief he gave the camera one last lingering look before sprinting out of the room.

*** 

“Are you or are you not purported to be an expert in this arena Felicity Smoak? You have taken an excessive amount of time already to complete this one task,” Nyssa grumbled as Felicity resumed her task of hacking into the airforce database.

“You guys need me to take out an entire evil organization. If I’m too slow for you why don’t you do it yourselves? Here! Be my guest! By all means hack into the government and send out the drone yourselves,” Felicity snapped, her temper rising despite knowing that engaging in verbal warfare, well any kind of warfare really with Nyssa was not the smartest thing she could do right now. But Felicity was done with being careful and watching her step. After today she had nothing to lose. 

She was all alone in the League now. There was no way out. Her only comforting thought was that Oliver was safe, whole and well and that he was far far away from this horrible place. She had always been the optimistic one out of the two of them. Up until the moment she realized Ra’s had ordered a hit on Oliver, she had never given up on the dream that somehow they would survive and make it out of this place together.

That dream had faded into oblivion now but Felicity still felt infinitely grateful. Grateful she didn’t have to live with the realization that she had killed the love of her life, like Ra’s had planned for her. If she couldn’t be with Oliver, all she wanted was for him to have a second chance. He had been through more horrors than anyone could imagine. Felicity’s only regret was that she didn’t get to hold him one last time, kiss him one last time, and make love to him one last time. Their love was glorious and had burned so bright but their time together had been heart achingly brief.

“Your peevish attitude does not become you Felicity Smoak,” Nyssa’s voice pulled her back from her thoughts.

She stared at Nyssa blankly, suddenly feeling numb before informing the other woman, “I’ve bypassed all the protocols and successfully launched the drone. It should hit the target coordinates in fifteen minutes.”

“Is anything the matter?” Nyssa asked, not unkindly, her voice softening slightly.

“Everything is the matter Nyssa. Everything.”

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!
> 
> Here is your latest update!
> 
> I hope you enjoy it! 
> 
> Just a heads up that you won't get another update until the More Than Blue readers get an update! I am trying to be good and split up my time fairly between the two stories as you're all lovely people.

Nothing could surpass the pain of losing him forever, Felicity often told herself over the course of the next few days. The days were long and nights never ending. Her very existence was painful without their stolen hugs, hidden smiles and idle banter. Everywhere she turned she was confronted with memories of him, of the way he used to watch over her impassively under Ra’s watchful eye or the way he used to gaze at her lovingly when they were alone and she would wax lyrical about what life would be like when they escaped from here. 

Still Felicity was a survivor and she had lived for twenty-four years without him. It was a matter of getting through one day at a time. She tried to find comfort and remind herself that if things had taken a different turn she would be here in the same position, without ever meeting him or creating her memories of him. At least this way she knew he was given a second chance. Death was normally the only way out of the League and since she had done exactly as Ra’s had instructed, Oliver was now free to live out the rest of his life, to start over and gain some semblance of a normal life. 

Her greatest fear was that Oliver would return to find her. Ra’s had drawn a line in the sand and there was no going back. Whatever he had planned as his next move, he wanted Oliver dead. Oliver who was his supposed heir, whom he had spared and raised as a Prince of sorts, had been mercilessly wiped out for reasons that weren’t quite clear to her yet. The most clear cut explanation was that Ra’s wanted to eliminate the competition. However Ra’s himself had appointed Oliver her bodyguard. He had given them the time, proximity and opportunity to be together. Perhaps this was all part of the plan, perhaps he knew exactly what was happening, knew of their affair and having her kill Oliver was to be the ultimate punishment for them both.

Felicity stared out of her window listlessly when her door opened, causing her to jump, a wave of terror washing over her. No one ever entered her room without knocking first whether it was her servants or Nyssa. As for Oliver, they often used the door between their quarters and he had never walked into her quarters through the front entrance. There was only one person bold enough to burst into her room without warning. Felicity clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, willing herself to stay still and make no move to turn around to acknowledge him.

“I’m accustomed to having each and everyone of my concubines run to greet me when I chose them for a visit Felicity.” He sounded vaguely amused as he closed the door behind him, waiting for her response. Felicity didn’t say anything for a few minutes, opting to focus on a particular fountain outside as if it were the most fascinating thing she had ever seen.

“I’m not your concubine,” she finally answered. “What do you want Ra’s? Surely you could have summoned one of your minions to tell me what my next task is.” She kept her back to him defiantly. She had no desire to look at him and as helpless as she was, Felicity felt this was one little way she could protest, one tiny way to rebel against him and everything he had done to her, to them. 

“I’m afraid I have come to bring some unfortunate news Felicity. I thought you deserved to hear it from me yourself as it is sure to cause you a modicum of distress.” There was an element of smugness to his tone that left Felicity without a doubt as to what his news was. He had come to gloat over Oliver’s supposed death and to inform her of her role in it.

“What is it that you felt you needed to barge in on me at this time in the evening?” Felicity snapped impatiently, yearning to get this little charade over and done with.

“I’m afraid Felicity, that a number of my assassins were caught in the explosion from the drone you deployed. It is believed that four men died and regrettably one of those men was Al Sah-him your body guard and my son. I understand that you two had come to an _understanding_ during his time guarding you. And that you were _friends_. At any rate I thought it best that you heard the news from me my dear Felicity. That Al Sah-him will not be returning to guard you. If it makes you feel any better my dear it is believed that his death was quick and painless as the explosion was so great it would have killed upon impact.” His tone was smug. There was no doubt that he had known about the nature of their relationship and had taken great satisfaction in orchestrating this moment. It was Ra’s great moment of victory, to not only kill her hope and her future but to also punish her and Oliver for loving each other.

Felicity clenched her fists and took a few deep breaths. In order to protect her secret, protect Oliver, she was going to give Ra’s the reaction he wanted.

“You’re…you’re lying,” she stammered. “He…he wouldn’t be there, he said he would succeed in his mission, he said he would come back. He would come back…” Tears streamed down her face and despite knowing that Oliver was alive it was a relief to have something to direct her frustrations into. Felicity channeled her inner thespian as she found herself letting out the emotions she had bottled up over the past few days.

Ra’s took a few steps towards her, tilting his head to watch her face as he spoke.

“My dear Felicity as hard as it is for me to accept that Al Sah-him is gone, there is no doubt that he perished. It is believed that a part of his bow was found amongst the rubble. I am so sorry my dear. No doubt you will need to process your guilt over this incident as it was you who pressed the trigger but just remember this Felicity. You did so under my orders, out of service to me so do not punish yourself for it.” 

A flash of anger coursed through Felicity’s veins. Anger she had never felt before in her entire life. Not at the mean girls who teased her at school for being poor and awkward, not at Cooper for stealing her work and abandoning her and not even at her father for getting her into this mess with the League. Ra’s had tried to murder Oliver in cold blood, had taken away her only source of happiness within his prison, and now he stood before her with the audacity to try and break her with guilt. Guilt that Felicity knew she would never be able to recover from had Oliver actually perished.

Felicity let out a high-pitched shriek and picked up a vase that was displayed prettily on the table in front of her. She proceeded to hurl the vase at Ra’s with all her might. For a brief second there was a glimpse of surprise on his face before he demonstrated his super human reflexes and calmly batted the vase away with his bare hand. Not letting this deter her Felicity began to grab at any objects within her reach and hurled them hysterically at Ra’s. Gold candlestick holders, a goblet, a tray and it’s contents which included a dinner she had not had the appetite to eat, cushions, books, anything that she could get her hands on.

“You did this. You arranged for me to have his blood on my hands, you made him guard me; you made me fall for him. You wanted to subject me to all this misery you evil, insane bastard,” Felicity screeched at him, taking some delight in the fact that he looked rather taken back. Despite clearly wanting some sort of reaction from her, Ra’s had not expected a show of this magnitude.

“He’s not coming back…he’s never coming back,” Felicity sobbed hysterically. It was cathartic to let her feelings out in this regard because Oliver was indeed never coming back to her. She let out a few more sobs before resuming her tantrum at Ra’s. Glancing around and realizing that she had run out of objects to throw, Felicity tore off her heels and pitched them at Ra’s before sinking down to the floor, burying her head between her knees.

“I will overlook this objectionable behavior on your behalf today Felicity as I understand you are mourning your _friend_ but understand that this behavior will not be permissible in the future. I will let you have your time to mourn and then I expect you to compose yourself in a manner that is befitting of a lady of your station. Goodnight my dear Felicity.” Felicity took great delight in the fact that Ra’s seemed genuinely taken back and irritated by her reaction. Gone was the smug victorious glower he had possessed earlier.

“Remember my dear you are only young and it is a long life ahead. One day you will look back on all this as a trivial memory of your youth.” Stifling her urge to scream at his pompous tone and call him more names Felicity ignored Ra’s as he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. She hurled a stool at the door just as he pulled it shut for good measure.

***

For five days Felicity was left in glorious peace to mourn the loss of Oliver. Clearly she had made an impression on Ra’s with her outburst and there were no more creepy visits, no tasks and no summons to attend feasts. Apparently crazy was a good way to ward off unwanted attention from insane tyrants. She heard from the grapevine gossip that a large feast had been held to honor Al Sah-him’s life but to her relief she was not asked to attend. Felicity was grateful for this. She wasn’t sure whether she had it in her to throw anymore hysterics and it would have been draining to have to attend and formulate a suitably calculated reaction to satisfy or exceed Ra’s expectations as to how she would “mourn” Oliver.

Felicity shivered as she stared out of the arched windows once more. She longed to visit Oliver’s secret bunker, to take in the last remnants of him but she felt as if she didn’t have her wits about her to evade prying eyes or anyone that would follow her. So she shut herself in her chambers, the gilded cage Ra’s had provided her and wandered around listlessly, barely touching any of the meals that were left for her. She had cease speaking to her servants altogether, only shaking her head when they brought in her meals and gesturing for her untouched food to be taken away when any of the servants poked their heads in to ask what they could do for her. 

***

A series of brisk taps rung out from her door but Felicity ignored these, choosing to remain in her velvet trimmed armchair by the window. The door clicked up and then closed behind her. Felicity made no move to turn around to find out who had entered her room. 

“You simply cannot continue like this,” Nyssa’s stern voice rang out in the chilly room. The fire had long died in the fireplace but Felicity had not bothered to call anyone to rekindle it, opting to sit in the cold instead. Sometimes she wanted to see how cold she could get, how cold she could feel. The biting cold took away the gnawing pain of missing him, of dread about her future. It gave her something immediate to battle against. While she was shivering and her body was physically fighting to stay warm, she found herself not thinking so much. It was a relief.

Nyssa took a few short strides to the window where she was sitting and effortlessly swung Felicity’s chair around to face her. “Have you lost your mind Felicity Smoak? Your skin tone has taken on a most pallid shade of blue. They say you have refused all nourishment and have not spoken to anyone since my father visited you.” 

Felicity refused to answer opting instead to stare with utmost fascination at Nyssa’s footwear.

“You loved him that is plain to see. You foolish girl you went and fell in love with Al Sah-him. All this time you have been secretly in love with him as much as he loved you. You had no intention of following through with our agreement did you?”

It should be noted that silence was not Felicity’s strong suit. She had been too listless to speak to anyone but faced with Nyssa’s self-righteous indignation Felicity could not help but bite back. She leveled her gaze before speaking.

“I did one better didn’t I? I killed him for you. I was only supposed to sully his reputation as part of our agreement. I went above and beyond and blew him up. So don’t come in here acting like I’ve wronged you Nyssa. You got what you wanted in the end. Heir to the Demon. Did Ra’s announce your new title yet?”

Felicity looked away and leaned her head against the back of the chair, glaring defiantly at Nyssa. She wasn’t sure where all this rebellion and rage was coming from. A few minutes ago she had felt like a limp ragdoll with no spirit left in her. Now she suddenly felt angry. She was nothing but a pawn to Nyssa Al Ghul. And now a useless one at that.

“I take no delight in your misery Felicity Smoak. It was my belief that we had an agreement. I thought you were an unencumbered woman who was willing to do what was required to gain her freedom. Clearly I was wrong. I am disappointed that you misled me however I understand that you had no choice under the circumstances as you appear to have been in love with Al Sah-him for a long time. In truth Al Sah-him’s death is not of great convenience to me as I had other plans for him. I am however sorry to see you suffer from so much heartache.” Nyssa’s response was frank, although her voice surprisingly gentle and with almost a certain warmth to it. 

Her face softened and she had a far away look in her eyes as she continued, “I was in love with someone once and she was taken away from me very suddenly. I am not without sympathy when it comes to these matters.”

“How do you do it?” Felicity found herself asking. “How do you wake up everyday and continue knowing you’ll never see them again? How will I do it in this place? There is nothing for me here Nyssa. Maybe only the comfort of death but even then I am not sure I can achieve death under your father’s scrutiny.”

“You must cry Felicity Smoak. You must cry and mourn your pitiful love story. Then you accept that it was a beautiful dream that has flown away and you close that chapter and do whatever it takes to move on. There is still hope, still a way for you to regain your freedom if you are prepared to make the necessary sacrifices to achieve it.”

Felicity found herself arching an eyebrow at Nyssa’s words. She couldn’t quite work out if the sympathy was all an act or whether Nyssa had genuinely felt sorry for her situation but was an opportunist who still had a use for Felicity.

“They were beautiful words of wisdom Nyssa, right up until you informed me that I am still useful to your cause. So let us not mince words any longer. What do you need from me and what price to I need to pay to escape from here?”

“I tell the truth when I express my sorrow for your loss Felicity Smoak. However I do appreciate your plain speaking so let me return the favour by telling you exactly what it is I require from you.” Nyssa pulled up and chair and threw a thick velvet quilt over Felicity. “You should endeavor to take care of yourself better if you are to harbour hopes of escaping from here.”

“Nice to see that you care,” Felicity snarked back, pulling the blanket over herself and snuggling into the folds. Nyssa had woken her out of her trance and suddenly she felt no desire to freeze to death anymore. She didn’t like the woman but Nyssa had lit a spark within her and Felicity felt compelled to at least try to survive for now. 

“As you have correctly guessed my father has made me Heir to the Demon. However going by my father’s past history this does not mean the throne will be mine anytime soon. Meanwhile Father continues to behave erratically and his regard for human life seems to wane as the days pass by. To truly reform the League, to take over the throne I need for my father to perish. That would have been achieved by Al Sah-him engaging in battle with him. A fight to the death,” Nyssa spoke solemnly as if this all made perfect sense somehow.

“Going to have to run that by me again Nyssa. What are you talking about? Al Sah-him can beat Ra’s? Why on earth didn’t you just approach him to work together in the first place? He didn’t want your throne!” Felicity once again found herself wondering if she was suddenly living in the midst of some mad Shakespearean play or medieval novel.

“I cannot defeat my father. He has had centuries of experience. I have never once managed to gain an upper hand on him in combat. Al Sah-him has never bested my father, however they have come to a draw in several battles. It is my belief that had you completed your part of our agreement, once your affair with Al Sah-him had come to light, Al Sah-him would have challenged my father to a battle. A fight to the death.”

“And you were hoping that Al Sah-him would challenge Ra’s to a fight for me. And if things were to pan out as you predicted, they would both get a lethal blow in and perish leaving you as heir to the throne,” Felicity finished Nyssa’s explanation for her.

“You are indeed correct. However I failed to plan for my father’s jealousy and at no point did I think he would contrive to have Al Sah-him killed by using you. As I have stated earlier, he continues to grow more disturbed every day. His use of the Lazarus Pit has warped his mind further and further.” For someone who had hatched her own fair share of evil plans and deception, Nyssa seemed genuinely horrified by her father’s actions. The apple did not fall far from the tree. Felicity had to decide which was worse.

“So where do I fit into all this? I can’t land a punch on one of your trainee assassins let alone Ra’s,” Felicity looked directly at Nyssa, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. She knew for certain that she was not going to like Nyssa’s answer as she could already half guess what it was.

“If you were to be more engaging towards my father, more amiable, you would gain further access to him and catch him in a more unguarded and compromising situation. I can teach you, train you so that you will possess enough skills to take him out when the opportunity arises.” Nyssa’s tone and expression left zero doubt as to what she considered a compromising situation to be.

“You are insane if you think I will ever agree to that,” Felicity replied coldly, giving the other woman a frosty glare. “Good night Nyssa. I am tired. Please leave me to rest.”

“You are very young Felicity Smoak. You may live for decades yet. It is up to you whether you want to be trapped here for the rest of your days or whether a few sacrifices are worth it for an entire lifetime of freedom.” With that Nyssa stalked out of the room, leaving Felicity to once again return to her own thoughts.

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallooo
> 
> Here is your next update!
> 
> Hope you enjoy it! Sorry it's taken a while!

John Diggle watched as his computer finished powering down and grabbed his hand carry suitcase, ready to leave Argus headquarters. Days like this made their lives seem so simple, so ordinary. Lyla had headed off to Florida with the twins first, leaving John, as the second in command at Argus, to finalize some paperwork before heading out to join his family. Between the two of them, they couldn’t decide who had the harder job, wrangling two year old John Junior (JJ) and Sara or reviewing Argus’s mission reports.

Lyla had insisted he stay behind to finish the paperwork on her behalf while she took the trip up with the twins. Knowing that despite working with Argus for well over a decade and having been on countless missions, some forcing them to really examine their moral codes, mommy guilt for her long hours at Argus was still the biggest guilt of all, John had not argued with his wife, although he secretly thought she had the raw end of the deal between the two of them. Argus paperwork, hell a mission with the suicide squad was nothing compared to flying unaided with the rambunctious toddlers who were well in the midst of their Terrible Twos.

A fond smile crept across his face as John thought of his sometimes petulant and grumpy toddlers who did not know and did not care that mommy and daddy had been caught in multiple life and death shoot outs during their careers with Argus. They often went out of their way to show mommy and daddy that hell hath no fury like toddlers who wanted triangle sandwiches, which had been cut wrongly into squares instead. Cupid, Deadshot and their like were nothing to fear in comparison to the Diggle twins on a bad day.

John placed the suitcase into his SUV on top of the two giant suitcases already loaded in the trunk earlier. He had convinced Lyla to pack minimally with promises that he would check in the rest of their gear on his flight up the following day.

Movement registered in the corner of his eye and John drew out his gun on instinct. 

“I’ve come for that favor you offered me three years ago,” a familiar deep voice spoke clearly. “It’s time sensitive and I need you to come with me to do something for me.”

John would remember that voice anywhere. It was the voice of the possibly insane and cryptic stranger who had saved him during a bungled Argus mission in the heart of Africa three years earlier. He probably shouldn’t refer to the man who took a bullet for him as insane but the boy was as mysterious as f@ck, swanning in and out dramatically in his ninja costume, telling John to go home and live “the life I could never have.”

John had never met such a drama queen with such superior combat skills in their line of business. Still he had been profoundly grateful that he would make it home to a four month pregnant-with-twins Lyla and had told the mysterious stranger that he would repay the favor any day, anytime. He intended to keep that promise even if his mysterious stranger was calling in his favour at the most inconvenient time. It appeared that Lyla was going to be stuck wrangling the twins halfway across the country by herself with half of their toddler gear missing. This was going to be a tough conversation.

Sighing he turned to look at his once savior, surprised to see that the man was no longer wearing a mask to conceal his face and said, “I need to call my wife and let her know I won’t be joining her and the kids this week.”

“Wife and kids,” the man echoed, a smile ghosting over his lips briefly. “You went home and you’re living a full life after all.” His voice was soft and melancholic.

“Yeah I got my happily ever after thanks to you." 

“I wouldn’t have tried to find you again and ask you to do this if it didn’t mean the world to me.” The stranger continued to look at him sadly and somewhat dramatically, as if he were harboring some sort of tragedy, a far cry from the ruthless and efficient killer who had taken down six militants within the span of a few minutes, with a bow and arrow, while nursing a bullet wound no less.

Heaving another sigh. John took his phone and began dialing Lyla’s number. So much for their long awaited family time away with the twins.

***

It took Felicity a week but she finally managed to escape her own head and emerge from the dark shadows inside her mind. Yes she had lost Oliver forever but he was alive and she had played a part in granting him the freedom he would otherwise never have. God knows he deserved it after the horrors of watching his parents get slayed by the League of Assassins followed by the decades he had spent living under Ra’s rule.

She may be trapped here forever but she was going to fight whatever came her way and at least make an attempt to live her best life. She hoped that somewhere out there Oliver would feel this and that it would bring him a measure of peace. Knowing Oliver, Felicity could see him tormenting himself about her for another decade.

She gathered her wits, keeping a sharp eye out to avoid detection as she made her way to his secret lair. Once she was there she allowed herself time to take in the sight and scent of all his things and relive the memories they had made down here. This was her final goodbye. It would be her lair after today.

It had all been so very passionate, so intense and yet so heartbreakingly brief. It seemed like they were always destined to say goodbye to each other, after meeting for only very brief periods of time. Five years ago and then now. She found herself wondering what it would have been like had the stars aligned for them to be together. Could they survive the mundaneness of suburban life where there was no tyrant, no assassins, no power struggles? Just the rat race of working 9 to 5 and remembering to take out the garbage at night.

Felicity wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. Of course they would have thrived in suburban life. They would have thrived anywhere really. Even here in the middle of this hellhole they had been happy. They had spent many an evening talking about their future away from the League. Oliver had opened up to her about all his quiet hopes and dreams, some of them so simple. Oh how foolish they had been. 

Felicity stopped by the case holding the little vials of poisons and potions. She swiped five clear tubes and slipped them into a protective casing to prevent them from shattering, hiding them in her dress pockets. Just in case.

***

Oliver smiled at the sight before him. He had expected her here but it warmed his heart in ways he couldn’t imagine to see her cuddled in his cot fast asleep, her cheek buried in one of his old shirts that he often wore after training. His heart ached with happiness at the sight of her but it also broke a little. He had missed her so much. He didn’t know how he would ever live without her. Fortunately for him he was not going to live long enough to find out what a life without Felicity would be like.

He reached out and touched her cheek, causing her to let out an adorable little huffy snort as she wrinkled her nose. Quietly Oliver lowered himself onto the cot and wrapped his arms around her. She let out a content sigh, forming what looked like a little smile on her lips but showed no indication of waking up. He kissed the top of her head and tightened his arms around her. He had seen the dark circles around Felicity’s eyes. She probably had not had a decent night’s sleep since he was gone. According to his calculations they had a few hours before he could put his plan into motion. It would be safer to wait until nightfall anyway. 

***

Felicity could not recall when she had fallen asleep or where. The last few days had taken their toll on her and she had fallen asleep abruptly and woken up just as abruptly. For a moment she blanked out and forgot that she had travelled all the way down to Oliver’s lair. She assumed that she had fallen asleep alone in her chambers and had now woken up with a pair of strong arms wrapped tightly around her. Her first thought was blind panic. What the f#ck was Ra’s thinking creeping into her chambers to fondle her in the dark. Swallowing her panic down Felicity held still, calmed her breathing pattern and willed as much strength as she could into her right elbow before swinging it as hard as she could into what she thought was the crotch of Ra’s Al Ghul.

“Oooomph,” the figure cried out in pain as Felicity scrambled up, blinking rapidly to take into account her surroundings in the dim light. She was not in her chambers. She had snuck down to Oliver’s secret lair and must have fallen asleep which meant that the figure beside her was none other than…..

“Oliver?” she whispered. Now that she had had time to process the body next her, the green and woodsy scent sure felt and smelled like him. Ra’s looked like he would smell like death or at the very least of dead game like the trophies of the poor creatures he hunted that were on display throughout the castle. Not young, hunky, fresh and woodsy like pine trees in a forest, which meant that she, had just elbowed Oliver in the family jewels. But how could that be, he was supposed to be gone. He was not supposed to come back here ever again. Why would he be here cuddling her in the darkness of all things?

Felicity took a few deep breaths as she tried to process the situation not quite knowing whether she was relieved, grateful and a wee bit thrilled that Oliver loved her enough to come back for her or whether she should be furious that he was stupid enough to come back knowing fully well how Ra’s wished him death and how dire the situation was. 

“I have always admired your shapely arms Felicity but I didn’t realize you had so much strength in your elbows,” Oliver groaned as he clung onto his crotch wincing. Apparently even top assassins felt it when they were slugged in the balls. Temporarily pushing away all her worries and fears and forgetting the doom that was about to befall them, Felicity scuttled back over to Oliver and kissed him deeply on the lips. She may have also instigated a bit of tongue action.

“Aww poor baby. Want me to kiss it better?” she purred when she finally pulled away from the kiss, massaging his crotch gently with her hands and smiling unrepentantly as he looked at her with a mixture of fondness, love, disbelief and definitely disapproval.

Felicity was acutely aware of how out of place her attitude was given the situation they were in. Ra’s could very well have sent someone to follow either of them and could descend down here any minute, capture them and literally throw them into a pit of vipers. But Felicity had spent a good part of her week mourning her romance with Oliver like it was a Shakespearean tragedy. She was suddenly sick of always being aware and alert of all the doom and gloom that was sure to befall them. Oliver was back. He had stupidly come back for her because he loved her, loved her in a way that she thought she could never be loved and he was currently pressed next to her, hunky as ever in this little cot in a dimly lit room. So to hell with wallowing in all the doom and gloom and behaving in a manner that was appropriate to their tragic plight.

Her small hands reached out to grab his face again, kissing him with abandon. Although surprised, Oliver returned her kisses with equal enthusiasm. His crotch had apparently recovered from its encounter with her and soon he was pulling her onto his lap as his hands slipped under her dress.

“I think we need to draw the line at sex in the lair when you allegedly should be dead.” Felicity finally came up for air and willed herself to stop grinding against him. His hands stayed under her dress and his fingers gripped onto her bare skin lightly causing her to wiggle in delight.

“And we need to deal with this situation before we can take the next step. And by situation I mean the whole thing about Ra’s wanting you dead so I would eventually agree to be his wife, not the situation of me wanting to jump your bones and you having your hands on my boobs.”

“Felicity,” Oliver huffed at her, feeling a little annoyed and ashamed of himself for pawing at her like a horny teenager the first chance that he got. He had once been Al Sah-him, ruthless assassin. He excelled at control. He should have known though, any semblance of control that he had was lost five years ago when he started falling in love with her. 

“Run away with me?” Felicity pleaded suddenly. “As much as I want to use my loud voice at you for coming back here it’s too late for that now and I know better than to ask you to leave this place without me because you’re stubborn and willful. So let’s run away. Before all this happened you asked me to run away with you and I refused, stupidly thinking you would come back from you mission and that we still had time. Ra’s has blown that all up now so let’s take the risk and make a run for it Oliver.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, stroking her hair softly with such a tender look in his eyes it made Felicity’s heart ache for him. He obviously needed her to be happy and she would give anything for him to be happy. They needed to survive this somehow or at least die together trying.

“I’m sure.” Her voice was firm and full of conviction. “Maybe luck will be on our side for once and we’ll make it. Get to live that life we used to talk about. Maybe we’ll get caught and he’ll kill us both. At least we died knowing we gave it a good shot. Besides if I can’t save you, there are worse things than dying with you.”

Felicity curled herself up into a tiny ball and buried her face in his chest. “Let’s leave now, as soon as possible while they think I’m still in the midst of a mental breakdown and haven’t started questioning my whereabouts yet.”

“I’ve heard about your spectacular meltdown at Ra’s,” Oliver said trying to suppress a chuckle in his voice. Seeing the puzzled look on her face he explained further. “Before I could be sure that it was safe to reach out to you I did a little espionage and cased this place. Easy enough to do since I know it like the back of my hand. I overheard the servants talking about your tantrum at Ra’s and how you hurled anything and everything at him. They are all impressed with you for your spunk and the fact that Ra’s is enthralled by you. No one, no wife or concubine has ever dared to behave like that. As twisted as he is even I have to admit that you’ve made a lasting impression on him. People have died by his sword for much less." 

“Yeech, no thank you,” Felicity shuddered. “It creeps me out so much when anyone tells me that psycho likes me. Do you ever feel that the universe gives with one hand and takes with the other Oliver?”

“I’m not sure where you’re going with this Felicity.” It was so easy to fall into old routines again. For a moment Oliver felt like he could very easily abandon his plans and succumb to her charms. It was so tempting to let himself bask in her warmth and affection while sitting there and listening to her cute and quirky rambles.

“Universe decrees that hot intense hunk falls madly in love with me. All good, I would happily take up with hot intense hunk, that’s you by the way. Then universe also decrees that creepy ancient old man should also have a thing for me at the same time and try to kill off hot hunk and hold me captive. I rest my case.” She raised her hands in surrender position and pulled a pouty face.

One look at that face and Oliver could feel his heart shatter into a million pieces. He was going to lose her after tonight. Suddenly his willpower crumbled into dust. He pulled her in for another kiss, taking her by surprise. “No more cute faces while we’re on the run,” he ordered in between kisses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!
> 
> I was feeling very inspired this week so here is your next update. Hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Probably no more updates for a fortnight as I will need to update More Than Blue. Plus I have this one shot I'm twitching to write =P

_“So you want to tell me what this is all about?” John Diggle finally asked after an hour of silence. They were on their way to procuring the Argus helicopter that was needed for the task ahead._

_“Nothing much to tell,” Oliver responded, his tone implying that he didn’t want to discuss this any further._

_"I left my wife to deal with two toddlers by herself across the country to help you save this girl, Felicity, you seem so desperate to save. I think I deserve some sort of an explanation for it.” John supposed he should be glad Oliver even revealed his name to him, if that was his real name at all. He had been shown a photo of the girl he was to retrieve out of Nanda Parbat and she seemed like a nice enough girl, nothing alarming about the searches he ran on her. But John’s curiosity was getting the better of him and he wanted a better understanding of what was going on between Oliver and this Felicity. Boy looked positively tragic when he had pleaded with John to get her out of Nanda Parbat and use Argus’s resources to give her a new identity and a new life._

_“None of this is her fault. The League of Assassins works by it’s own rules and she was captured to repay a debt that had nothing to do with her. She also caught the unwanted attention of Ra’s Al Ghul and I need you to get her out of here and make sure no one can ever find her again so that she can have some semblance of a normal life after this.” There was a spark of desperation and sadness in his voice when he spoke about Felicity. It was the only time he seemed to register any emotion and John suddenly found himself feeling sorry for Oliver even if he did think the boy was being a bit of a drama queen._

_“You know I can and want to help both of you right? I get you out of the country as well, give both you and Felicity a new start. Three years ago I promised I’d repay you for saving me but it doesn’t mean there is only a one-person limit to my offer. I don’t understand why you want to hand her over to me and won’t try to escape with her.”_

_For a brief moment a spark of something akin to hope crossed Oliver’s face. Of course he immediately squashed that notion down. “I haven’t spent more than two decades with Ra’s and not learned a thing or two about the way he thinks and operates. One of us will make it out of here alive but not both. He will let one of us go because he wants whomever it is that survives to live with the torment of losing the other. If I try to escape with Felicity we will never be free. Ra’s will use his resources to hunt us down for the rest of our days. That’s not the life I want for her.”_

_“So you’re going to make Felicity be the one that lives with the torment of losing you? You love her; I can see it in your eyes every time you talk about her. You really going to do that to the woman you love?” John understood the situation, he really did and he realized it was less an ideal. But Oliver had some pretty stupid and tragic ideas that was going to end on heartbreak for the poor girl he loved and probably bloodshed for himself. John felt that he should at least try to talk some sense into him._

_“She’s stronger than I am. She’s brave and hopeful. She’s a survivor and a fighter. If anyone can get through this, it’s her. I’m not brave enough John, I just don’t have it in me.” Oliver turned and stared out of the window, signaling that he wanted to put this conversation to bed._

_“No one is saying that one of you has to die while the other lives. That’s a very dramatic take on things. Let me get you both out of here and at least try to run from this Ra’s Al Ghul guy. Argus has extensive resources which I am more than willing to use to help you.” John suddenly felt a strong urge to reach over to the passenger seat and slap Oliver senseless. The boy was a stubborn idiot and even though John admitted he probably did not have a full grasp of just how dangerous and powerful this Ra’s Al Ghul was, the way Oliver was determined to play this out still struck him as being utterly ridiculous. There was sacrificing for those you love and then there was just plain pig headed stupidity. Still at best all he could do was try to talk some sense into Oliver. John Diggle knew he could not wrangle, over power and try to drag Oliver out of Nanda Parbat if he was not willing to leave._

_“Felicity spent five years on the run and in the end they still found her. Five years of her life was wasted. In those five years she had no home, no friends. That’s not what I want for her. No more running. I need for Ra’s to stop going after her and he will do that if he’s satisfied with the price that is paid to him.” There was finality in Oliver’s tone, which signaled to John that he was not going to get anywhere and would just be wasting his breath if he continued to try._

_“Suit yourself,” John muttered irritably, shaking his head. He had given Oliver a promise he intended to fulfill but that didn’t mean he had to approve of the situation. He wondered what this poor Felicity was going to think when she was unceremoniously dumped on him while Oliver walked off to his death._

*** 

“Are you doing ok?” he asked gently as they trudged along the rocky landscape. 

Felicity nodded stoically trying her best to hide the fact that she was out of breath and gasping for air. They had rode away on the horse he had hidden a few miles from the palace, however the rocky, mountainous terrain on the next part of their journey meant that they had to travel by foot.

Oliver had been quiet during their trek, quieter than usual, even for him. Occasionally she would catch him glancing over at her with a pained look in his eyes. Felicity felt uneasy, however she chalked it down to nerves and the sheer terror of knowing that Ra’s was going to be after them for the rest of their lives. Still now was not the time to dwell on that, it was either die in the palace or die trying to achieve freedom. He had obliterated her plan to keep him safe by coming back, she liked to think that they even if they failed, they at least died trying to be together. 

As if sensing how puffed she was, Oliver stopped next to a large boulder, transferred his hiking backpack so that he was now wearing it on his chest and knelt down. “Hop on,” he instructed, his handsome features even more enhanced in the moonlight. Felicity let out a hysterical little laugh, feeling slightly dazed, possibly from all the walking they had done. To think that she Felicity Smoak was on the run with a dashing tormented prince, trying to get away from the clutches of an evil ancient king. The situation practically read like a soap opera from medieval times. 

Noticing that he was now watching her intensely, concern written all over his face, Felicity explained herself. “Sorry I just had to let all that out. It all feels so surreal you know? I am trying to reconcile how I went from planning to move to Gotham to currently being here, in the middle of the forest, trying to run from the League of Assassins.”

“Felicity you’re going to be ok,” he reached out and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, all while still kneeling before her. It looked like he was proposing under the moon.

“You mean we’re going to be ok? You keep referring to only me; it’s freaking me out. We’re both going to be ok right? Together?” She leaned down and cupped his face in her hands, pressing her forehead to his.

“As long as you’re happy, I’m going to be happy Felicity.” Something about his answer did not mollify Felicity as much as she wanted. Still he was here with her so she was going to take that as a good sign. As long as he was beside her, she could push any uneasy thoughts away.

“Hop on,” he smiled at her, that fond boyish smile she had only ever seen directed at her.

 

“Oh no I can’t make you carry me around all these slopes and hills. I’ve had enough of a rest, I’ll pick up my pace and keep up with you I promise.”

“Felicity I insist,” he pleaded. “Please? Remember how our first encounter after five years involved me carrying you. For old times sake?”

How could she forget? It was the stuff of romance novels. Gently placing a kiss on his lips and then hopping onto his back, she kissed his neck before murmuring, “For old times sake.” 

***

“I trust you completely and between the two of us you are definitely more stealth and ninja-y than I am, but how are we getting out of Nanda Parbat?” Felicity asked after he had carried her for almost an hour on his back. 

“I have a friend who owes me a favour. He’s going to provide the means to get out of here. He’ll land in Sri Lanka and then provide the necessary paperwork to fly commercial out of Sri Lanka back to the United States.”

“That’s some friend you have there, willing to do all that for you,” Felicity mused thoughtfully. Evidently Oliver had contacts. She supposed that made sense since he was part of this secretive network that presumably had resources and contacts. They had to source their clients somehow. Felicity wondered if this was a real “friend”, friend or whether this friend was someone who had to be “persuaded” to help. She harbored no illusions about who Oliver was in his past life and who he might still need to be in order to keep them safe. She just hoped that this “friend” was not going to betray them.

“I saved his life three years ago and he vowed to return the favour,” Oliver informed her, reading her thoughts with ease. “I don’t trust many people but John Diggle I do trust. He’s the only person I can trust with our current predicament.”

“Is he a fellow assassin,” Felicity asked curiously. “Like from a rival organization? Oh my god he’s not ex HIVE is he?”

“No nothing like that,” Oliver reassured her. “Government.”

“Oh,” Felicity nodded, wondering if she should ask whether he was ARGUS or CIA but thought the better of it. She had once managed to hack into ARGUS ‘s systems much to her delight. It was her first and last time. Felicity had done a bit of snooping to satisfy her curiosity but had quickly exited and erased all traces of her hack, not wishing to spend the rest of her days in a penitentiary. Still there was plenty of time to tell Oliver about all this later when they were on their long haul flights out of here. 

“After I lost you five years ago I changed. I had never had trouble killing or watching someone be killed as collateral damage. This man, out of pure coincidence, happened to be at the same place, same time as me and he was caught in a situation that wasn’t his fault. Before you I would have walked away but something about him, about my two years watching you, compelled me to save him. I guess the universe had a plan since it turns out we need his help today.”

“I believe you’re a good person Oliver and I will always believe that no matter what,” Felicity whispered into his ear and kissed his cheek. She clung onto him a bit tighter. 

***

It had taken some time but they finally reached an empty patch of grassy land. Situated somewhere in the middle of the land was a helicopter presumably waiting for them. In the pilot’s seat was a serious faced man who was very tall and broad. Presumably this was John Diggle. Despite his no nonsense expression, Felicity thought he had a kindly look about him, almost teddy bearish and if he cracked a smile he would look like a big friendly giant for sure.

Oliver ushered her into the back and before Felicity could register what was happening he had pulled the door of the helicopter closed, shutting her inside. Felicity scrambled for the door handle, yanking at it with all her might, shouting out to him but not really hearing or knowing what she was shouting. Suddenly it all seemed like a very bad nightmare. All she knew was that Oliver had refused to get into the helicopter and was currently holding the door shut to keep her in. She continued to pull at the door with all her might but it would not budge, he was too strong for her. 

The pilot stared at her kindly with a sympathetic look on his face. He was obviously in on this but she could tell he felt sorry for her.

“OLIVER!!! Oliver!!!” she shouted banging on the door. “Oliver don’t do this! Don’t leave me. We will get through this together. Get in the helicopter,” she pleaded tears streaming down her face. She continued to shout various pleas at him while he stood and watched her with tears in his eyes, not responding to any of her pleas. Finally hoarse, Felicity slumped against the doors and burst into tears. 

“I love you,” he spoke through the glass window that separated them. “I love you so much. You’ve always said you wanted me to give me my happily ever after one day, to fix the horrors of my youth. Well the thing is, as long as I know you’re out there and you’re safe and living your life, that’s my happy ending right there. I tried to save you five years ago but I failed so this is my second chance. Don’t give up on life by clinging to my memory Felicity. Get away from here, fall in love, have a few of kids and grow old for me ok honey.”

“Oliver please don’t do this, please don’t do this to me,” Felicity sobbed as she pressed her fingers against his through the glass. He mouthed, “I love you,” one last time before signaling for John to start the engine.

***

“You can come out and face me,” Oliver shouted into the trees. Hours had passed since he bid goodbye to Felicity and he was well aware that he had now reached Nyssa’s turf, where she and her goons patrolled the area. He had come here on purpose.

“So you did not perish after all Al Sah-him,” Nyssa stepped out of the trees. To his surprise she was alone, and not flanked by an army of assassins like he had expected. “You came back for her. I commend your noble actions even if they are incredibly unwise. My father is infatuated with her. You are but one man and you will not be able to rescue her from him. You should never have come back.” 

“What makes you think she is still at the castle?” Oliver replied calmly. He had been sure no one had followed them on their journey and from the exchange it was clear Nyssa and by extension Ra’s had no inkling yet that Felicity was gone. He intended to buy as much time as he could to ensure her safe passage.

“If she is not at the castle then what are you doing here making your way back? You do not mean to tell me you have left her on her own?” Nyssa circled him and surveyed him curiously. Ironically this moment was shaping up to be the least hostile out of all their interactions throughout the years. 

“Nyssa we are both familiar with your father enough to know how he operates. I’ve come back to pay whatever price I need to pay for Felicity’s freedom.” His tone was flat and dull. He was consciously aware he needed to buy more time but he found it incredibly difficult to stand here and trade barbs with Nyssa. There was a dull ache in his chest, a hopelessness that he hadn’t expected to feel. In a way he longed for what was going to happen next with Ra’s because it would provide him with a means of escape from the pain of losing her.

“I did not realize you were such a romantic Al Sah-him. So you are eager to give up everything for Felicity Smoak just as she, I have now realized, was willing to give up her happiness to set you free.” Nyssa watched him curiously, with a newfound admiration it seemed. 

“What do you want Nyssa? Lets not pretend to cry any crocodile tears. We both know you would have tried to foist Felicity off to your father as part of your grand scheme to seize control of the ring and his throne so don’t stand there pretending you’re cut up about this.” He glared at her bitterly. Nyssa, Ra’s, they were all the same. All vying for power and thereby destroying his and Felicity’s happiness in the process. 

“Look I’ll even do you a favour. You can bring me back to the castle and tell Ra’s you managed to capture me mid escape yourself. Score some points with him like you’ve always wanted.”

“You may not believe me but it brings me no joy to see you and Felicity Smoak in this situation. For a time you were both useful to my plans. Felicity Smoak held the key to my father’s heart and I saw opportunity in that. I do not harbor any ill will, especially towards Felicity Smoak on a personal level. All I have ever wanted was to reform the League from my father’s tyrant ways, to make the world a better place and in order to do that sacrifices have to be made. However in light of everything that has happened, my plans do not hold up anymore. You have ceased to be heir to the throne. You may leave here. I do not wish to inflict any unnecessary pain on you for a lost cause. It is true that you and I have never seen eye to eye but I do not wish to inflict suffering on you for no purpose, especially if I know it will cause Felicity Smoak great unhappiness.” She looked at him serenely like she meant it. Nyssa Al Ghul, who hated and had fought with him like cats and dogs most of their lives was going to turn her back and let him go.

“I appreciate the gesture Nyssa but we both know your father is going to turn the world upside down looking for Felicity once he discovers she's gone. He wants Felicity and if he can’t have her someone will need to pay the price for her or he will always hunt her down.”

“You are a fool Al Sah-him to walk into certain death. It is a shame you will not even attempt to fight for a life with her.” Nyssa cast him a look of disdain before walking off.

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sigh* When Nyssa and John Diggle tell you you're being stupid, you're probably being stupid! That Oliver! 
> 
> Next few chapters will be a bit rough! Just warning you guys first! Forbidden love is tragic and never easy =P
> 
> But remember there will be a happy ending!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys! Your next update! I hope you like it!
> 
> I have ripped off like every single imperial ancient Chinese kung fu series I watched while growing up so if you think the story is a little strange keep in mind that is what has been influencing me!

“You know you have no paperwork to get out of the country,” John shouted at the little figure that had sprinted off away from him at break neck speed. He shook his head and sighed. Instead of chasing his toddlers like he had been looking forward to doing, he was now chasing the feisty blonde love interest of the mysterious assassin he owed a favour to. Why were things in his life never easy?

Felicity had alternated between being a crumpled crying mess and rationally articulate during the helicopter ride. She had pleaded and tried to reason with him, giving him the details of Oliver’s tragic backstory in an attempt to persuade John to turn the helicopter back and retrieve Oliver. In all honesty there was nothing John wanted to do more than to fly back, pluck the willful bastard and force him back into the helicopter but he knew it was too late. This Ra’s or king whoever he was had probably discovered Felicity was gone by now and Oliver had undoubtedly walked into the lions den. It was too late and John found himself regretting the fact that he hadn’t somehow tried to force Oliver into the helicopter with Felicity.

Still he had made his call and whether it was right or not he needed to live with the consequences. John had an uneasy feeling that his decision today would most likely haunt him for the rest of his days but he had done what needed to be done and what had been asked of him. There was nothing left to do but to chase a rogue and angry Felicity down in order to keep her safe so that he could fulfill his promise to Oliver.

It only took a matter of minutes before he caught up with her, pulling her back as gently as he could and holding her up by the scruff of her hoodie with enough skill so as to not let her strangle herself. To Felicity’s credit she knew when to concede defeat and did not thrash about at the risk of hurting herself. He really had to be careful with this one. She was spirited all right but knew when to back down which made her all the more unpredictable. John wondered how he was going to get her back to the United States. Times like this he wished his wife were present for a consult. John would gladly admit that out of the two of them he was the “softer” party. Lyla did what needed to be done and did not worry about the means so much in order to achieve the end.

“You can put me down now I won’t run anymore,” Felicity informed him placidly. “I’ve tried that once and obviously that didn’t work since five of my steps are equal to about three of yours. I won’t run again. You can count on that.”

“You mean you won’t run again until you get another opening,” he frowned at her. Internally he was trying to suppress a smile. Despite the dire circumstances and all the trouble she was causing him, John couldn’t help being somewhat amused by Felicity Smoak. He imagined she would be rather charming and humourous under different circumstances. He could see why Oliver was so hell-bent on saving this girl out of a place called the League of Assassins. He placed her back on her feet. Felicity fixed her jumper calmly before turning to him.

“Would I really be someone you want to save if I just followed you happily and thanked you for saving me while leaving Oliver to rot in Nanda Parbat forever?” she asked him unexpectedly. “After all your interactions with him, after everything I’ve told you about him, after knowing how much he loves me and is willing to give up for me, would I be worthy of that love if I just said thanks and took off to have a new life and a couple of kids like he wants me to?”

John had to admit she did have a point and the fact that she was now making it in such a calm and dignified way, after everything she had been through today impressed the hell out of him.  

“Since he’s given his life for you, don’t you think you at least owe it to him to try and live so that it wouldn’t all be for nothing?” In his mind John knew where this was going, however he felt like he should at least put up a fight, to make a sincere effort of trying before he conceded defeat. 

“If only were as easy as just giving up his life. Death is not the worse thing that can happen there. Oliver may be an assassin John, trained to kill and torture without flinching but he is strangely naïve about human nature and about Ra’s in particular. He thinks it’s as simple as trading my life for his. Well I know differently. I believe differently. Ra’s may stop pursuing me but he will not stop until he owns Oliver’s soul. Oliver has dared to oppose Ra’s’ will and there is simply no conceivable way Ra’s will tolerate that. His ego is too great. He won’t kill Oliver. In his mind he probably thinks he was being gracious to Oliver when he tried to arrange for me cause Oliver’s death the first time. Now to find out that Oliver didn’t die and has come back to bargain with him, he’ll keep him on the brink between life and death.”

She looked up at John, tears welling in her eyes as she hugged herself with her arms, suddenly looking frail and very alone despite there being a blaze of spirit within her that could not be quashed somehow. John knew that until her very last breath Felicity was not going to let this go. He could get her out of the country, set her up with a new identity and a new life but she would come back for Oliver. Short of locking her in a jail cell for the rest of her days there was no way that he, John Diggle could stop Felicity Smoak from saving her Oliver.

“We could have both run and if we had gotten caught a swift death would have been arranged before we found ourselves back to Ra’s. But as it stands right now Oliver would be lucky if he were allowed to die.”

John sighed as he prepared himself for what he had come to accept as the inevitable. “What is it you expect me to do here Felicity?”

Her eyes suddenly lit up like two sparkling blue crystals and he could see relief wash over her. “Put your faith in me and take me back to Nanda Parbat. I have a plan.”

***

“Find her. Do not leave any stone unturned until you find her for me. I shall send you all to the ends of the earth until they are both found,” Ra’s commanded for what must have been the umpteenth time upon discovering Felicity’s disappearance. “They are both to be brought back here alive and unharmed. I shall deal with them as I see fit. You are all forbidden to harm them in any way.”

The group of assassins he spoke to, one of many clusters that had been incurring this wrath, bowed low and scrambled out hastily. As for Ra’s himself, he was teetering between inconsolable anger and unprecedented pride. Anger that his plan to kill Al Sah-him had been foiled by the girl he loved and pride that he had picked wisely and bestowed his love on such a formidable candidate. He recalled the fury she had unleashed on him, the anger, and the despair and yet it had all been a lie. She had calmly played the part of an emotionally fragile young girl and had momentarily caused him to underestimate her. 

Still Felicity was young and foolish and while she had amused and impressed him no end by her temporary escape with Al Sah-him, Ra’s was well aware that there was no place on this earth she could run to without being found. He had far reaching resources that she could not even begin to comprehend. Ra’s was confident that Felicity would be returned to him. What he needed to contend with was how to make her his. He was not in the habit of forcing women through sheer brute force. He wanted her to come to him willingly. His definition of willingly was open to interpretation but he was not a savage and would certainly not be willing to physically force her into anything.

He wanted Felicity to be his concubine. Hell he’d abolish the term concubine and make her his Queen if that would appease her although he knew it wouldn’t. In the midst of his madness Ra’s Al Ghul had found happiness again. He envisioned a future with Felicity. Although always hostile and acerbic she brought out feelings within him that he had not felt for a century. He longed to be a father again, how he would dote over the little children that Felicity would give him. And give him children she would.

Perhaps he had been too hasty in attempting to obliterate Al Sah-him whom he had viewed as a threat to his quest for Felicity. He had done it for the pure satisfaction of a show of power and to break Felicity’s spirit. Instead she had cleverly fooled him and that spirit had burned brighter than ever. Ra’s was not about to make that mistake again. As long as Al Sah-him was alive he was a liability to Felicity. She loved him, which made him the perfect leverage for Ra’s to get what he wanted. Ra’s wondered how far Felicity would go, what she would do for her beloved.

***

It was almost surreal, standing there in the throne room where he had stood thousands of times as Ra’s’ Prince or as he had later come to realize, work dog. And yet here he was back in such familiar surroundings in a completely foreign set of circumstances. He looked at Ra’s coolly, emotionless as he issued his challenge. Oliver knew what the League’s laws were. Nyssa had spent her whole life quoting them and accusing him of skirting around them. It was ironic that he was here today hoping Ra’s would uphold the spirit of the League laws he had often disrespected as a hell raising youth.

“Al Sah-him I applaud the brazen manner in which you have come in here and issued your demands. Demands, which you, who have broken countless League laws are not in any position to make.” Ra’s marched up and down, watching him intently, much like a shark circling a wounded diver.

“You’ve never bothered to cite what laws I’ve broken Ra’s. As far as I’m concerned the League has always had the rule that one life can be exchanged for another. And I am here to exchange my life for hers. I’d challenge you to a battle whereby if I win I am able to keep my life but somehow I do not think you would be amenable to that. So I am giving you the most basic of requests, one which I know that I am entitled to which is a straight out trade. Her life for mine. You forget about Felicity and call off your goons. You leave her alone, never find out where she is again and I will die at your hands.” He cast Ra’s a steely look and glared around defiantly at Nyssa and all the other various ranking assassins whom were listening in with interest.

For the first time in his life Oliver regretted being a loner and not putting in the time and effort to build himself a faction for support. He had been stupidly loyal to Ra’s, thinking the latter was a just yet eccentric ruler who would ultimately follow the spirit of the League’s laws.

“You seduced a woman who was earmarked to be my consort. You stole her away from me and have kept her hidden from me still. So what makes you think I or the League would be willing to negotiate any terms with you Al Sah-him.” Ra’s’ voice was quiet, yet there was an unmistakable anger in it.

“What was your reason for having me killed the first time Ra’s? Because you have no evidence that I had broken any laws during that time and Felicity was very much in your custody. I was a loyal soldier who went to take out Darhk like you instructed me to. I was to return here with the totem you wanted when you launched a drone strike on my safe house. You set me up to be murdered, a murder which I managed to evade. If I had committed any perceived crimes against you, League laws state that they should have been brought out in the open and a punishment whether by death was to be decided in front of all your people. You had me killed in silence, on your own whim. Your first attempt on my life is payment for my helping Felicity escape. My life now is still my own and I want to use it to trade for Felicity’s life." 

A murmured twittered across the room as Ra’s' men and women nodded in agreement with Oliver amongst themselves. Truth be told Ra’s had grown increasingly unstable and menacing in the last few decades, often blatantly flouting fundamental League laws, the very foundations in which their organization was based. Although they owed no loyalties to Oliver, and did not care either way whether he lived or died, no one was quite comfortable with the fact that Ra’s could make up or disregard any laws that did not suit him. Today it was the foolish youth who had, had the audacity to fall in love with a girl who had caught Ra’s eye, the next time it could very well be any of them for any number of reasons.

“Credit to you Al Sah-him. You make a compelling case for yourself.” Ra’s suddenly eyed him with the victorious smile of a predator, closing in on its prey. He stopped pacing, his smile still as wide as ever as he continued speaking. 

“I will indeed accept your offer to trade a life for a life, however taking into consideration our once close relationship and how I had once considered you to be my son before a beautiful woman came between us I would like to offer you a chance at redemption.”

Oliver did not bother to respond. He had been waiting for the other shoe to drop and here it was. Ra’s was livid at being backed into a corner in front of his people; he was not going to take this lightly. This was his retribution. Still Oliver felt oddly calm. Whatever the price it was he knew he would gladly pay it as long as Felicity would get to live the life he had always wanted for her. 

“You can choose death. Swift, painless, a quick end. However in death you shall never see your Felicity again. Or you can choose to live for Felicity. You can choose a voluntary imprisonment term of five years by the League. Every day of your imprisonment you are to fight a prisoner or criminal of my choice. As you already know there will be no shortage of criminals for you to fight. It will be a fight to the death. If you can defeat and kill one criminal every day until the term of your five-year imprisonment ends you are free to go. Free to find Felicity again. You will never hear from myself or the League or anyone associated with the League ever again. I leave the choice up to you. Do you love Felicity enough to fight for her?”

And there it was. The offer he couldn’t refuse yet should never accept. He had to give it to Ra’s. There was elegance in the way he had chosen to punish Oliver. It was so easy to die for Felicity but could he live in the depths of hell for her? Oliver knew he had left her with a broken heart, one that may never heal. He had weighed up his decision and in the end had decided that her safety and security was a satisfactory trade off for breaking her heart. But Ra’s was now offering him a chance, a chance to one day find his way back to her.

Five years, one thousand eight hundred and twenty six days, one thousand eight hundred and twenty six people he had to kill. There was no guarantee that he would best all 1,826 opponents. No doubt Ra’s would bide his time and save the most formidable opponents until last. It was likely that he could sell his soul for the better part of five years only to be met with death in the end. Even if he emerged victorious who knew how much of Felicity’s Oliver would be left after five years had passed. But deep down in his very soul Oliver knew what he had to do. There was no choice to make. If there was a sliver of hope that one day he would see Felicity again he would hold onto it or at least die trying. 

*** 

The first two kills had been easy. Both opponents had thrown everything into their battles with him and although he bested them easily there was no denying that it was either a kill or be killed situation. He had put arrows in them swiftly without hesitation and had returned to his cell to mark down another day that had gone by.

Today was a difficult day and Oliver felt a wave of nausea at the thought of there being more days like this. His intended third victim was a young lanky fellow, barely in his twenties. Oliver hardly knew why or how this young man had found himself in this position. What crimes could he have committed, what choices had he made that had led him here? There was no telling what Ra’s’ definition of a crime was in recent years. As his sanity slipped, he had succumbed to more and more erratic whims. Had these people actually committed crimes punishable by death or were some of them merely victims of circumstance like Felicity had been. Oliver stood staring listlessly as his opponent, who had made no attempt to fight at all, drop to his knees and beg for mercy. Through the torrent of desperate pleas Oliver could see Ra’s smiling at him. A smug, taunting, victorious smile.

“Complete your task Al Sah-him. You have killed many times before. This is no different. Think of Felicity. Do it if you love her.” There was no denying no matter what happened Ra’s had won.

And then suddenly just like that, she appeared. His Felicity. It was so surreal, Oliver found himself wondering whether in his hesitation his opponent had abruptly gained an advantage and had struck him down. Maybe he was now somewhere in the after life, where he would spend the rest of eternity with an illusion of his very own Felicity.

“STOP! Stop it! Stop it! Just stop!” Her voice jolted Oliver out of his reverie and the horrible reality suddenly hit him like a punch in the gut. It was Felicity. She wasn’t safe and far far away like he had thought. She had found her way back to this hellhole and was now standing defiantly in front of Ra’s. 

“Felicity,” Ra’s spoke at last, a pleased smile crossing his lips. “There were so many distinct possibilities as to how Al Sah-him’s fate would be concluded but I certainly did not expect to see you again. You continue to impress and astonish me my dear. When you have lived as long as I have, that is quite a difficult task. Can you blame me for lavishing my affections on you?”

“Felicity, why…why are you back? Why are you back here? I thought….” Oliver’s dazed voice called out in the background but Felicity steadfastly ignored him, choosing to address Ra’s directly.

“I came back to save the man that I love. My life for his.”

“My dear you two keep trying to outdo each other with offers of your lives. Can I not get through one week without one of you offering up your life for the other.” Ra’s grinned at her like a Cheshire cat, eyeing her up and down with approval. He appreciated her fire and despite the fact that she was dressed in scruffy western clothing, she remained one of the most beautiful things he had seen in a while. 

Unperturbed by Ra’s’ attempts to play games Felicity took a step forward and looked him straight in the eye. “I’m here to offer you anything you want in exchange for Oliver’s freedom Ra’s.”

“Anything?” Ra’s queried, smiling at her as his eyes scanned over her eyes, her face, her lips, and moved slowly down her body.

“Anything you want,” Felicity answered, closing her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cripes! The sh@t has hit the fan now hasn't it!?
> 
> Haha hope you're all still with me for the rocky ride!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys
> 
> Since I left you with a bit of a cliffy last chapter and you all took it like champs and left such lovely comments, I was motivated to post another update.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

“What I want is for you to become my Queen.” Felicity’s eyes flew open to find a smiling Ra’s. He looked…happy, manically so but definitely happy. There was even an air of sincerity to his happiness, which left Felicity feeling no doubt that he was in deed teetering on the edge of madness. For the first time Felicity doubted her plan. There was a possibility that after all this was over, she too would succumb to the lunacy that had overtaken Ra’s. Somewhere in the background Oliver was pleading with her. Why she did not know. It was too late for anything else now.

Felicity watched as he was eventually dragged away by six burly looking goons, part of her worried that he was going to work himself up to the point of physically hurting himself, part of her relieved that he was out of sight. It would be much easier to stay calm and negotiate with Ra’s without witnessing Oliver’s devastation.

“Very well,” Felicity nodded. “When are you going to release him? I assume you want some sort of assurance from me before you release him?” She was surprised at how calm and collected she sounded. Not a single babble in sight considering the situation she was in. Felicity supposed there was a difference between being nervous about something and being caught up in the madness of an evil overlord. There was no point in being nervous if every move you take would more than likely result in death or worse. At some point one stopped caring anymore.

“You’ve changed my dear Felicity. We’ve only been separated for a few days and you’ve emerged a new person.” Ra’s looked her up and down again and sounded almost melancholic. “Al Sah–him shall be released after our wedding night.”

“I want your word, here in front of everyone that you are to NEVER pursue or hurt Oliver again. No matter what he does, no matter how many times he comes back here. He is to be untouchable. Even if I die of old age or illness or whatever, you and your men do not touch him. You swear that right now and I will go through with a wedding and give you anything you want.” Felicity took another step forward and crossed her arms, waiting for Ra’s reaction.

“Felicity you have promised to be my bride. Yet your words and actions indicate that you are still very much in love with Al Sah-him.” Ra’s voice was clear yet quiet, testing her to see how she would react. 

“Ra’s you are a leader, the ruler of the League of Assassins. You’ve been alive for centuries. It would be an insult to your intelligence and mine if I were to pretend that I suddenly had even an inkling of affection for you or any feelings other than terror and disgust.” Ra’s opened his mouth to respond however Felicity swiftly raised a hand to stop him before continuing.

“I will give up the love of my life. I will marry you and try to be a good wife. That is all I can promise you Ra’s because anything else would be a big lie. Do you want me to lie to you? Because I can do that too if that’s the effect you’re going for. I didn’t think that was what you wanted from me. The sweetness, the wonder and joy of falling in love, that was all for him. So you either accept what’s left of me or you kill both of us because this is all I’m capable of right now.”

“You have a way of thrilling me my dear, even when you say things that are not pleasing to my ears.” Ra’s smiled at her, an oddly creepy contented smile. “Time heals all wounds my dear Felicity. Never forget that. You may think that Al Sah-him is all there is right now but you shall find one day that I will make you smile again.”

“You’re welcome to try. Now back to our terms of agreement. Are you willing to give your word publicly right now or not?” Felicity resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. He was actually looking excited at the prospect of being a groom. It was beyond creepy.

“I, Ra’s Al Ghul, hereby decree that in honour of my upcoming wedding celebrations, the prisoner Al Sah-him shall be released and is to receive lifetime immunity from the League no matter what his actions.” He turned to Felicity, looking pleased with himself.

“Is that satisfactory my dear?”

“That will do,” Felicity replied. “I also need to see him one last time to say goodbye.”

“You ask a lot of me without delivering much in return my dear,” Ra’s smiled at her with a hint of a sneer on his face. Felicity felt an urge to stab something sharp and pointy into his eye, just to wipe that smirk off his face.

“It’s for your benefit if Oliver accepts what is going to happen next and goes away quietly,” she answered looking at Ra’s, deliberately softening her eyes. Felicity was normally a terrible liar and couldn’t lie her way out of a paper bag but there was something about channeling her heartache that was really working for her performance. She just had to throw herself into it and live it. Her acting was the only thing that could potentially save both herself and Oliver.

“Let me say goodbye Ra’s. You won. Oliver’s lost everything except his life. Let us say goodbye to each other and I will close that chapter forever. I’m going to be yours after the wedding. Be the gracious ruler that I know you can be and let me have this.”

“Very well Felicity. We must all endure at least one heartache in this lifetime. I know it seems like the world will end now but one day all of this this, Al Sah-him, it will all be a distant memory. Still let me remind you my dear that you will become my Queen after the wedding and on that note please try not to do anything to embarrass me.” Ra’s tilted her chin and slowly cupped her cheeks with his wrinkled, leathery hands. Felicity fought the urge to shudder as her skin crawled and seized up at his touch. She nodded in acquiescence and averted her eyes away from his gaze.

***

“Leave us,” Felicity ordered the guard who had taken her to Oliver’s cell. The man glared at Felicity and planted his feet firmly signaling that he would not obey her.

“Leave us right now or do I have to call Ra’s Al Ghul in here to tell him you refuse to let me conduct a meeting that he sanctioned and that you are disobeying the orders of the new Queen?”

The man shot Felicity a disagreeable look before filing out of the room obediently. 

“Felicity what the hell is going on? Why did you come back? What have you done Felicity? He will go back on his word. You cannot give him what he wants.” Oliver pressed his head against the prison bars, his eyes shut tightly. He looked broken, beaten. Her heart ached to see him this way and Felicity could feel her sadness morph into physical pain as she braced herself for what was to happen next.

She edged towards the bars of his cell and gently touched his fingers, which were gripping fiercely onto the bars for dear life.

“I’ve come to say goodbye Oliver. You said it yourself once. Ra’s is like a king. We cannot outrun him, his reach or his resources. I know you love me and this wasn’t what you wanted for me but I’ve come to accept the inevitable now Oliver. There is no running from this. If you love me you will leave tomorrow after the wedding and never come back again. I am going to resign myself to being a good wife, a good Queen. And I will live with the satisfaction of knowing that you are alive and free. I’ll try to be happy.”

“Felicity, you’re not making any sense,” Oliver pleaded, tears running down his face. He fell to his knees and whispered, “Felicity you know the way out of here. It’s not too late. Just run. Please Felicity.”

Felicity smiled a small sad smile at him and knelt down beside him, pressing her body to the bars. She spoke clearly, her voice ringing. “I’m not going to run anymore Oliver. I’m through with running. It’s time to embrace my destiny.”

Oliver was about to protest, to beg her once more but Felicity pushed her small hand through the bars that separated them and stroked his cheek, gently urging his face closer to hers, so close that she could now hear his soft labored breaths. “When you find his body you need to burn it. No matter what else is happening you need to burn his body and hold onto the ring,” she whispered ever so softly into Oliver’s ear before pulling away. 

“I love you and I will always love you but we need to let each other go. You need to accept everything that is going to happen? Do you understand?” Felicity’s eyes bore through his, searching, praying that he understood the hidden meaning behind her words.

Oliver’s eyes locked with hers and they gazed at each other for several seconds, exchanging unspoken words. Oliver gave her a quick nod before slamming his head against the bars as he shouted.

“I will never accept this Felicity. As long as I have any breath left in my body I will fight for you. Do not do this Felicity. You cannot give yourself to him. I’m begging you darling, please don’t do this.”

“Goodbye Oliver,” she murmured, turning to exit the dungeons. Oliver slammed his fists against the cell, kicking and punching the bars as he continued to plead and yell after her.

***

Felicity returned to her old chambers to find a set of fussy red garb had been laid out on her bed. It was a heaving bosom red dress of some sort, accompanied by a heavy red coat and some weighty gold jewelry adorned by large rich red stones that she guessed were rubies. If she were not on her way to a quickie wedding with a tyrant she’d consider absconding with these jewels. They would have made an excellent nest egg.

Felicity was led by her old servants to soak in a tub full of flowery water. Evidently Ra’s wanted her all bathed and perfumed before she was offered up to him. To their credit her old staff had managed to act as if nothing had happened and her transgression of running away had never taken place. After she emerged from her bath, she put on the wedding garb with their help. Felicity declined their services with her makeup, opting instead for just a touch of blush and a soft lipstick. With everything she had planned tonight, it would not do to sport a face full of makeup. The effect would most likely be extra hideous and her vanity could not handle Oliver to seeing her in such a state.

After she was dressed, Felicity surveyed her ensemble curiously. She looked like an overdone doll in the red flowing low cut dress and heavy coat that looked like a very fancy embroidered bathrobe. Ra’s certainly hadn’t taken long to provide her with the outfit. The crazy old geezer probably had it stashed somewhere months ago. The knot in her stomach tightened. What if he was not as crazy and arrogant as he seemed? What if he had guessed what she was going to do? Felicity shook her head vigorously to dispose of her negative thoughts. She had heavily invested in this plan now and there were no avenues left for backing out. Besides his superior combat skills, which rivaled Oliver’s, Ra’s also held the Demon’s Head ring and had legions of lethal assassins at his command. They couldn’t physically fight their way out of this.

Felicity examined her appearance one last time and took a few deep breaths. It was time for her to make an entrance at her own wedding and play the blushing bride.

***

Felicity stifled yet another yawn as the high priestess (or whoever that creepy shrivelled lady was, she wondered why that lady didn’t hook up with Ra’s instead, they were a much more appropriate couple) droned on and on and on. It sounded like she was trying to get rid of ghosts. Felicity bit down on her lip to stop herself from breaking out into a flood of manic giggles. Because this was serious and Ra’s had decked himself out in all white like an enthusiastic groom from the eighties. Clearly he was very invested in this wedding and was living out some delusion where he was the dapper male hero, which resulted in him currently being in an extremely amiable state. This made Felicity all the more aware of the stakes here if she failed.

Nyssa, who was dressed in a rather pretty navy blue dress for the occasion eyed Felicity curiously. There were a lot of questions on her mind. She couldn’t even begin to understand why Felicity Smoak had returned to this place, a shell of her former self and had offered herself up to Ra’s Al Ghul. Nyssa tried to catch Felicity’s eye in the hopes of figuring out what was going on, however Felicity was oddly distracted, her gaze never seeming to focus anywhere.

The ceremony went on for what felt like a good hour before Felicity was led to a part of the Palace where she had never been before. Ra’s’ private chambers. As the bride she was to wait for Ra’s in his chambers while he got drunk and accepted congratulations from his minions. She motioned for the servants to leave. Obligingly they obeyed, exiting the room after rattling off their good wishes and blessings.

A blessing was a blessing she guessed. She needed all the luck she could get. Felicity surveyed her surroundings and spotted a small dining table for two that had been set up with various Nanda Parbat delights and drink. She completed her preparations and waited for Ra’s.

She didn’t need to wait long because he entered the room an hour later, obviously keen to get back to her. The first thing Felicity noticed was that he was alone, unaccompanied by his goons. It wasn’t like she was a physical threat to him and Ra’s probably wanted to relish in this moment. Felicity let out an involuntary shiver at the thought.

“Felicity, you’re trembling. You need not be afraid of me my dear.” He marched up to the table where she was sitting, his eyes settling on the low-cut neckline of her dress.

“Shouldn’t I be?” Felicity asked, looking up at him. “You’re Ra’s Al Ghul and I’m married to you now.”

Ra’s smiled and grabbed her hand. Felicity flinched and yanked her hand back, giving a startled jump, causing Ra’s to laugh at her. “My dear we are husband and wife now. I am going to be touching a lot more than your hand.” He walked around and stood behind her, inspecting at her, as he looked her up and down with approval. 

“I…I…can I just have a few moments please. I need a drink. A few drinks in fact.” Slowly she poured herself a drink from the intricately patterned bottle of alcohol on the table and took a small sip, fidgeting with the goblet as he continued to stalk her from behind. Shuddering once more, Felicity swirled the wine around in her goblet and took another small sip, her hands shaking as she did so.

“If you want to drink first my dear Felicity then let us drink together to celebrate our union,” Ra’s boomed at her. 

Felicity shrugged and pointed to the second goblet, which had been laid out on the table. Ra’s let out another laugh before snatching the goblet Felicity held in her hand. 

“As we are husband and wife now, it’s only fitting that we share a goblet of wine together.” He downed the contents of her goblet and looked at her expectantly.

Felicity reached for the wine bottle, however his hand stopped hers midway.

“Enough,” Ra’s barked at her suddenly. “I think it’s time we consummated the marriage don’t you Felicity?”

“I…I just need a few more minutes…” She pushed out her chair and scrambled away from the table. Ra’s was in front of her in an instant, his hand grabbing her wrist roughly.

“I have been a very patient man my dear. I have given in to your ludicrous demands, damaged my reputation in front of my advisers by swearing that your lover is to remain untouchable no matter what he does. I even allowed you to have one last farewell with him. Whilst I am pleased that you have so far been cooperative and have conducted yourself in an appropriate manner during our wedding ceremony, you offered yourself up to save Al Sah-him and I intend to collect what I was promised.”

Felicity continued to back away, stumbling backwards, as Ra’s advanced forward, still gripping onto her wrist tightly to the point of hurting her. She felt her back hit the edge of the bed and let out a little gasp as Ra’s leered at her menacingly.

Suddenly his expression changed. His body shook and he began to convulse, blood pouring out of his mouth as he collapse onto the floor. He pointed a finger at Felicity angrily, trying to form words but no coherent words came out except for a series of hoarse, choking sounds.

Felicity smiled triumphantly however she knew her victory would be short lived. She could feel the effects of the poison as it began to make its way around her system. Her stomach was cramping up. She felt something moist on her face and reached up to wipe away a trickle of blood that was now running down the side of her mouth. She had drunk only two tiny sips, significantly less than Ra’s who had downed a goblet full. Although she knew she wouldn’t survive this, Felicity guessed that she had a small amount of time left. She just hoped that John would get Oliver here before she succumbed to death.

Slowly her entire body began to cramp and Felicity keeled over. Realizing that Ra’s was now well and truly dead, Felicity crawled over to his body and used the last remnants of her strength to yank the Demon’s Head ring from his finger all while praying that Oliver would get here soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See, she didn't sleep with Ra's! Everyone feel better now =P
> 
> Don't worry I have a plan! Don't freak out! 
> 
> ***
> 
> Just in case you were curious (or think that I'm a weirdo) this kind of stuff is what I grew up watching and what inspired this story. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VG-AkPAeTqI


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Lovelies!!!!!
> 
> I have your next update! Hope you enjoy it!!!!

Oliver paced back and forth in his cell waiting for a sign, any indication of whatever it was Felicity had planned. He had heard all the music blaring throughout the upper levels of the Castle, even the guards sent to guard him had been switched so that they could take turns joining the festivities. Ra’s had gone all out for his wedding with Felicity, the old pervert. 

Under any other set of circumstances, Oliver would have smashed his way out of this cell however remembering Felicity’s words when she had come to see him, Oliver had decided to hold out for a bit longer to see what was going to happen. He could finally admit it to himself now but his plan to drop Felicity off with John had been a mistake. He had obviously underestimated Felicity’s fierce loyalty and love for him, instead opting to play the tragic hero, which had resulted in the mess they were in today and Felicity heading back into the lion’s den to clean up what was essentially his mess. 

If he were to be honest with himself, besides his unyielding belief that Ra’s would spend an eternity trying to track them down (this he still believed to be true, Ra’s if anything had proven what a vindictive bastard he was), there was a part of Oliver that felt he was undeserving of Felicity. That in order to deserve Felicity’s love he had to sacrifice himself for her, to give her the life that she deserved. He should have known how stubborn Felicity was and that when she had decided she wanted something no one was going to tell her otherwise.   

Oliver’s thoughts were interrupted when his sharp ears registered the sound of a silencer and the bodies of the two clones assigned to guard his cell dropping outside his door. As if on cue John Diggle strolled in, with the air of one stopping by for a casual chat, barely raising a sweat as he shot the lock on Oliver’s cell and motioned for him to leave.

“You shot down the guards?” Oliver asked in disbelief. Not that he had anything against eliminating Ra’s’ goons, however John was with ARGUS and although ARGUS were certainly no saints, John Diggle from what Oliver knew of him did not seem like the type to run around trigger happy, gunning down anyone in his path whether they served an evil overlord or not.

“Tranquilizers,” John fished out another gun from his vest and waved it at Oliver. “I prefer the tranqs but I’ll do what I have to. Hurry we need to go find Felicity.”

“Mind filling me in on what the hell is going on?” Oliver asked. He had planned to stay calm, to heed what Felicity had asked him to do but coming face to face with John he could not help but feel a small amount of anger that the man who was supposed to take Felicity far, far away from here had failed to do so and was now in cahoots with her on some volatile plan to get rid of Ra’s. 

“You hold onto that thought and save any beef you have with me for later Oliver. Right now we need to get to Felicity and help her if she’s in trouble. Or if she’s succeeded like I think she will, we need to burn Ra’s’ body.” John handed him a quiver full of arrows and one of his bows that had obviously been retrieved from his private lair.

Oliver clenched his fists and gave the other man a glare before accepting the weapon.

“Felicity drew out some blueprints and led me to your private stash of weapons before she made her entrance with Ra’s. This is all her. Don’t look at me like I suddenly went rogue and decided that all of this was a good idea.” John raised his hands in mock surrender.

“If you didn’t think all of this was a good idea why did you let her come back to this place?” Oliver shot back at him, his temper rising.

“Have you met your girlfriend? There is no _let_ with that young lady. It was either lock her up in a cell for the rest of her natural life, have her run back here to do whatever it took to save you by herself or go along with her plans and at least know what she was up to. You really think now is the time to judge me?” John huffed at him and stalked out of the dungeons. “You take it up with her once she’s alright again and we’ve destroyed Ra’s’ body.” 

“What do you mean by alright?” Oliver demanded quietly at once, weaving through the corridors in an attempt to get to Ra’s’ chambers. Fortunately for them the castle was emptier than it had ever been. Wedding celebrations had completely taken over which meant that most of the assassins were celebrating in the great banquet hall. Even the guards and various servants had taken off to celebrate when they were not on duty. John conveniently ignored Oliver and mentally prepared himself to talk Oliver down from the huge meltdown that was going to no doubt ensue once they found Felicity.

***

Oliver had witnessed a great many things in his life. The death of his parents, the death of countless others at his own hands and at the hands of other members of the League, hell he was more than willing to kill a victim every day for five years if it meant seeing Felicity again. He thought this had hardened him, prepared him for just about anything he could witness. He was wrong. Because nothing could prepare him for the disbelief and devastation he felt as a bloodied Felicity crawled up to him, smiling with relief as if she was pleased about something.

“No, no, no, this cannot be real,” Oliver thought to himself as he gathered Felicity into his arms, his brain still unable to process what had taken place. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Ra’s’ lifeless body. In an attempt to console himself, he pulled Felicity closer to his chest, the stark reality of the situation slapping him out of his denial when she raised a hand that was covered in blood and weakly shoved the Demon’s Head ring at him. 

“You need to keep this Oliver. Keep it in case you run into trouble. Burn him and use the Pit to save me. Love you. Will see you again I promise.” With her last remnants of strength she stroke his cheek lovingly before closing her eyes. 

“Felicity? FELICITY? Felicity no. No no no no no. Come back. Felicity what have you done? Come back to me,” Oliver yelled. He shook Felicity’s body in vain as if hoping that his actions would wake her up, or wake himself up from this nightmare that was quickly spiralling out of control. Slowly he turned to John, still clinging onto Felicity’s lifeless body as he pointed an accusatory finger at the other man.

“I asked you to save her! And you did this! You agreed to this. What the hell were you thinking? You KILLED her! You killed the love of my life, the only person that gave me hope, the only person who ever made me happy.” 

John stared at the sight before him. Felicity had prepared him for this, had gone through this scenario with him over and over again, yet nothing could quite prepare him as he looked at her lifeless body and Oliver clinging onto it, looking like his world had just been torn apart. Maybe he had made a mistake, made the wrong call. Maybe he should have just dragged Felicity back to ARGUS and locked her up until he found a way to get through to her. Still it was too late for maybes and what could have been. They had helped the world get rid of Ra’s and it wouldn’t do any of them any good, wouldn’t do Felicity any good if he was to give into regret and fall apart now.

“Look here Oliver,” John responded, while moving over to inspect Ra’s’ body. “I’m as disturbed as you are about what went down but Felicity prepared me for this. She even pulled up evidence of this Lazarus Pit that Ra’s has which is suppose to bring her back to life. I thought that killing herself in the process was unnecessary but she was worried that the old man here wouldn’t take the bait so she convinced me this was the only way. You need to get her to that Pit and I need to get burn Ra’s’ body. Felicity was very specific in her instructions that I am to burn the body and throw away his ashes into separate places so that he can never be resurrected.”

Oliver continued to stare at him dully, making no attempts to move as he cradled Felicity’s body in his arms. 

“Oliver,” John snapped sharply. “You need to get Felicity to the Lazarus Pit. If for some reason that does not work and Felicity assured me that it would, then you can have it out with me. Or you can have it out with me regardless for endorsing Felicity’s crazy plan but you need to get her to that Pit do you understand? And wear that ring. Felicity said it would make you unchallengeable and ensure our safety while we’re still here.”

Oliver finally turned his head in John’s direction, giving him a somewhat blank look before responding dully, “The Pit restores life but at a price. She will never be the same again. Did she tell you that?” 

“I’m beginning to suspect that there were a lot of things I wasn’t told but it’s too late for that now. Felicity felt like she needed to kill Ra’s in order to save you both. Don’t waste her sacrifice. Go and put her in that Pit Oliver. Hell if you can’t do it I will. You burn Ra’s’ body instead.” As contrite as John had felt about his role in this mess, he was now starting to feel slightly irritated by Oliver’s inaction at such a crucial time.

“I’ll put her in the Pit,” Oliver finally responded, gather Felicity in his arms and standing up. “I’ll need to be there when she wakes up to help her through whatever it is that the Pit will do to her.”

“Oliver for what it’s worth I am sorry about this whole mess. I made the call that I thought was the best at the time. I’m going to follow Felicity’s map to the Fire Pit now. Felicity was very specific about separating his ashes. She even went as far as suggesting we chop Ra’s up into little pieces before we burn him.”

Oliver raised an eyebrow at this statement to which John shrugged. He didn’t know either Oliver or Felicity well enough to know what the nature of their relationship was like other than the fact that it contained elements of a star-crossed lovers tragedy. However one thing he knew for certain was that Felicity Smoak could be as hard as nails and her detailed plan on how to get rid of Ra’s had been somewhat terrifying. Whether Oliver had been privy to that aspect of her personality, who knew. Love was about accepting your other half for everything they were after all. John suspected that Oliver held Felicity on a pedestal somewhat; she was the light to his darkness, the sun that shone sunlight on him. Well these events will serve to bring them closer after this, once Oliver realizes that Felicity Smoak is not as delicate as she seems but rather pragmatic and lethal when she needed to be, if she was going to survive the Lazarus Pit, which John hoped to God that she would. 

***

Oliver edged closer to the Pit and knelt down kissing Felicity’s forehead one last time. In all this years with the League he had never actually seen anyone be resurrected by the Pit. Ra’s himself of course had used the Pit for centuries, but that was to heal any wound or injuries and over the course of time it had driven him mad. He and Nyssa both had privileges to use the Pit for healing, something that they did not take up for fear it would cause them the same mental decline it had caused Ra’s.

He still couldn’t quite come to terms with the fact that he was here, clutching onto Felicity’s lifeless body, about to submerge her into the Lazarus Pit with the hope of bringing her back. What if it didn’t work, what if the Pit only had healing properties and could not restore life? What if she woke up afflicted by the same madness that had overtaken Ra’s or worse? These were the thoughts Oliver pushed out of his head as he hugged her close before placing her body into the green waters. 

“You are to remove her body from those waters before they bring back something you are not equipped to deal with.” Nyssa emerged flanked by her four of her people. 

Oliver turned around to face her. He was on full alert, ready to draw his bow and fire if need be. “You don’t hold the authority to make that kind of order Nyssa,” he responded calmly.

“I hold more authority than you Al Sah-him. You are nothing but a glorified prisoner.”

“Does your authority surpass this then?” Oliver help up his hand with the Demon’s Head ring firmly on his finger. Nyssa’s faced paled as her goons took a step back in the presence of the ring.

“You… how did you get the ring. Where is father?”

“He suffered the same fate as Felicity and is currently being attended to.” Oliver noticing that Nyssa’s goons were looking actively cowed by his possession of the ring, turned his attention back to Felicity in the pit. Nothing was happening. Why was nothing happening damnit?

“So she did do it. Felicity Smoak bested father and sacrificed herself in the process.” Nyssa looked both impressed and subdued at the same time.

“She did what both you and I failed to do and paid with her life in the process. I will do anything, absolutely anything to bring her back. You can either work with me and I will eventually hand over this ring when I leave this place with Felicity or you can work against me and we will see how many of your father’s followers respect you and how many blindly respect the authority of the Ring.” Oliver was surprised by how much grit and determination there was in his voice. He couldn’t let Felicity put herself through all this for nothing. The least he could do was follow her plan to bring her back and keep Nyssa in line at the same time.

“You shall not believe me when I say this but I was fond of Felicity Smoak, Al Sah-him. However the person, the thing you will be bringing back will not be her. I have seen father use the Pit three times for this purpose and it has not resulted in a happy ending any of those times. The creature that resurfaces will not be the Felicity Smoak that you lost.”

“I don’t care Nyssa. Either stand down or we’ll go to war. Your choice.” Oliver glared at her, unyieldingly. 

“Very well but do not say I did not warn you Al Sah-him. You think you heart is broken by her death? Well you will lose the memories of any happiness you ever had with her when you come face to face with the creature that the Pit sends back to you.” With that Nyssa turned and stalked away motioning for her goons to follow her.

*** 

Three days. It had been three days and Felicity had not woken up from her coma or whatever state it was she was in. When he had immersed her in the Pit for some time and had seen no discernable difference in her physical state Oliver had begun to panic. Then just like that his eyes caught sight of the rise and fall of her chest. The colour returned to her face and she looked like she was in a deep deep sleep. He had carried her to her old chambers and kept vigil by her side ever since. Oliver had only briefly left Felicity’s side once, with John standing guard over her while he went to address and inform the League of Ra’s’ demise and that he was now the new Demon’s Head. He had informed them that any urgent matters and the day to day running of the League was to be dealt with by Nyssa, something that pleased Nyssa very much. She had been waiting for this day most of her life.

They had finally come to a tentative agreement whereby Nyssa was to act in ruling capacity while Oliver tended to Felicity. It was understood that once Felicity had regained consciousness, they would leave and Oliver would bestow the ring to Nyssa and severe all his ties with the League. Now if only Felicity would wake up. 

Oliver had been drifting in and out of sleep when he felt a gentle squeeze on his hand. At first he had thought it was a dream. Over the course of the three days his brain had played tricks on him many times, luring him in with vivid dreams of Felicity being alive, recovering fully only to have him suddenly jolt awake and find her lying there still in her deep sleep.

Another squeeze and then another startled him awake and he found himself gazing at a very frail, very confused looking Felicity who was very much alive. Overjoyed beyond belief he threw his arms around her and pulled her tightly into his chest, his hands stroking her messy curls. 

“You’re alive,” he cooed at her softly, his happiness at seeing her alive and well indescribable.

Oliver’s euphoria was short lived as he felt her stiffen in his arms. A finger prodded him gently on the back and he untangled himself from her to find himself looking into a pair of very troubled and puzzled blue eyes.

“Hi,” she smiled at him nervously with the air of one trying to keep very calm while panicking internally. “I…you told me I needed to go. To get far far away from the people who were looking for me. So I don’t understand why I’m here, with you. Where am I?”

“Felicity, it’s me Oliver,” he repeated hopefully as she continued to stare at him with vague recognition that in no way resembled the loving looks she had once given him.

“I don’t know your name. You never told me your name,” she whispered, suddenly looking a little more frightened. She scooted back away from him towards the other side of the bed. “Please tell me why I’m here, why you’re here. I said goodbye to you. Why am I here? Did they catch me?”

“Felicity don’t you remember what happened? Do you remember me? Us?” His heart sank. Was this what Nyssa had warned him of? He knew he should back off, ease Felicity into things. Maybe this memory loss was a temporary side effect and she would regain her memories in due course. The Pit didn’t seem to have caused any other ill effects on her. She wasn’t acting out, wasn’t violent and was fully coherent unlike the stories he had heard about the three others who had been brought back by the Pit. Against his better judgment Oliver edged closer to Felicity, only to have her grab a pillow and wedge it defensively against her body to try and keep him away.

“I remember you. Of course I remember you. You're the hot assassin who let me go. At least I thought you did so I don’t understand why I’m here and you’re here.”

In the midst of this new crisis, Oliver found himself fighting an urge to smile at her reference to him as the “hot assassin.” A tiny spark of hope reignited in him. Felicity, no matter what state she was in, was still so very Felicity.

“What do you remember Felicity if you don’t remember anything that happened recently.” He held out a hand, desperately hoping that she would hold onto it so he could reassure her that she wasn’t alone in this.

“I remember saying goodbye to you and heading out the door. Then…then the rest of it is blank. I feel like I should remember, that maybe something happened but I just don’t recall anything. It’s just all blank and I woke up here. You look familiar, like I should know you but there is just this big empty space in my mind. What happened to me? Can you tell me what happened to me?”

She dropped the pillow and clung onto his hand, as she looked up at him, desperate for him to give her the answers she sought. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a few more chapters and we're at the end of another story!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!!!!!
> 
> I bring your next update!
> 
> heheh thank you for not freaking out over the amnesia trope last week! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Almost over now! 
> 
> But stay tuned for my crazy new fic!

“I died,” Felicity mumbled as she folded her knees up to her chin, looking a little dazed, her eyes no focused on anything in particular. “So in order to kill this Ra’s Al Ghul I took a chance and killed myself too. Wow, that’s kinda surreal.”

“You were…we were both in a very desperate situation Felicity and I think you felt like there was no other way. And the truth is I’m not sure there was any other way to get rid of Ra’s.” Oliver took her hands gingerly. Encouraged by the fact that she did not flinch or make any move to yank them away he gave her hands and gentle squeeze and held onto them.

Felicity gave him a small smile and moved herself a little closer to him. “You know you seem so familiar. I don’t remember you but I feel like I know you so well. I guess it makes it easier to accept everything that you told me. That we…we were...something. Why do I have this awful inappropriate urge to sing that Katy Perry song? You know the one that about in another life, I could be your girl.”

She smiled sheepishly at him, suddenly blushing furiously. She didn’t know this man. Well in her mind she had just met him, he was hot and he had let her go. But here she was sitting with him gazing at her like she hung the moon and he was telling her that they loved each other so much she had died to save him. It was a lot for an amnesiac to get her mind around.

“I’m very familiar with that song Felicity. You used to sing it and dance around your apartment.” Oliver smiled as he recalled the memory.

“I keep forgetting that besides being with me these past few months, you also watched me for two years. I feel like it’s kind of unfair. You know me so well, you got to know me twice and I barely know you at all.” She tilted her head and studied his face, searching to see how he was handling the situation. As difficult as it was for her to be dead and come back with no memories Felicity felt that it could very well be worse for Oliver who effectively lost the girl he loved.

A dejected look crossed his face briefly before he schooled his features and gave her a smile. It was a sincere smile, albeit one tinged with a hint of sadness. “How would you feel Felicity if I asked you to give me a chance so you can get to know me, everything about me? As much as I know about you.”

“I would like that very much,” Felicity smiled at him, before her brain attacked her with an army of unwelcome questions. Practical questions that needed to be addressed.

“Although what am I going to do when I leave here? When will I leave here? Gosh I’ll have to get an apartment and get a job! I’m assuming you’re going to leave this place as well. What city are you going to be moving too? Are we going to go on a first date? I assume you want to date me because you seem to have loved me a lot before my brain got fried in the Pit.”

Oliver let out a chuckle. Felicity was still Felicity even if she didn’t remember their relationship. The Pit hadn’t changed the core of who she was one bit. “Yes I would like to date you again Felicity. When things settle down a bit and we get away from here I would like to ask you to dinner. And in answer to your other question I would follow you wherever you go if you’ll have me.”

Felicity beamed at him looking pleased, before blushing slightly. She was about to ask another question, this time about how they were planning to get jobs and whether they needed to create fake IDs since she had been kidnapped by the League and Oliver, well she assumed Oliver didn’t exist on paper or electronically at all, when Oliver leaned in and kissed her softly on her forehead. “You get some rest first okay? We’ll take this one step at a time. Together.”

Felicity not to be outdone leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. She figured since they had already had an epic love affair that she was unable to recall, what was a cheek kiss in the grand scheme of things.

***

“Oh Dig, I wish you could stay.” Felicity threw herself at John and allowed him to squeeze her in a giant bear hug. She had no recollection of who he was, having not recalled ever meeting him but after being told of his role in saving them, of the faith and trust he had in her to follow her plan meticulously, including separating Ra’s’ ashes into tiny bits and disposing of them in various places (including flushing some down the toilet) Felicity could not help but feel a sense of kinship towards the no nonsense big brotherly man. He had stayed to make sure Felicity had no other physical or mental ailments from the Pit besides the memory loss 

“Lyla will kill me if I delay coming home any longer. She spent almost all of her holiday managing the twins alone.”

“I’m guessing twins are hard? Twice as hard as a normal kid?”

John shot her a look that screamed “Oh you foolish young people with your tragic love affairs have no frigging idea.”

“Let’s just say that on a bad day they can cause as much trouble as you did when you insisted on coming back here to save Oliver.” He moved Felicity away gently to take a good look at her. “You’re looking good for someone who came back from the dead Felicity. Stay out of trouble and come visit me when you can." 

He turned to Oliver and pulled him in for a man hug. “Good luck with everything man. You and I may be even now but contact me if you need anything. And visit.”

“John I don’t know how I can thank you for everything you’ve done for us,” Oliver said earnestly. He wasn’t one to be sentimental but he suddenly felt like he had a friend in John. Besides Felicity he now had one other friend. The world wasn’t such an isolated place after all.

“Don’t mention it and listen to Felicity. No more self sacrificing nonsense ok?” John pretended to be stern but his eyes were laughing.

“She killed herself in the Pit and you say I’m self sacrificing,” Oliver retorted.

“Ok I’ll let you have that one but just stick together and try not to get into anymore trouble with tyrants and dictators. Good luck guys. I expect an invite to the wedding when you sort yourselves out.”

In response to this statement the two idiots both smiled stupidly at him before sneaking heart eyes at each other.

*** 

“Has she displayed any violent behavior towards yourself or anyone else?” Nyssa seemingly materialized out of nowhere as Oliver led Felicity around her favourite spots in the palace gardens.

Felicity had expressed a wish to jog her memories and Oliver had obliged by taking her to her favourite haunts during her time at the League. He had been saving his secret lair for last. He didn’t expect it would bring back any of her memories as nothing seemed to spark any recognition so far but before they left Oliver thought it would be fitting to visit the place he had spent so much time hiding himself and the place where they had made love.

Nyssa without waiting for a response impatiently turned to Felicity and questioned her. “Have you felt any blood lust or the urge to take anyone’s life?”

“No, have you scary ninja lady? Cuz you look like you constantly want to kill someone so it’s weird as that you keep popping up out of various nooks and crannies to ask me this question every day.” Felicity rolled her eyes at the aggressive looking brunette standing over her, feeling certain that Nyssa’s bark was worse than her bite. If she were to be honest she would admit that her confidence to stand up to Nyssa also stemmed from the fact that Oliver was always right beside her and currently had one arm around her waist protectively.

“Blood lust is no laughing matter Felicity Smoak. I will have you know that I mean no malice by such questions. I am merely concerned about your well being.” Nyssa spoke with such a grave and earnest tone that Felicity felt a tiny bit bad for being snippy at her. Still it was not nice to be accosted every day and asked if you had any urges to slaughter people. 

“No urges to kill anyone or anything Nyssa I promise. I’d rather look at pictures of puppies! No violent thoughts at all. ” 

“So you do not feel any ill effects from the Pit?” Nyssa asked observing Felicity with a fascinated look on her face. “This is indeed miraculous.”

“Well I’ve been feeling a bit nauseas at times. And really sleepy. Like so so sleepy sometimes. I’m assuming it’s Pit lag? Like jet lag?”

Oliver’s face broke out into a huge smile as he couldn’t contain himself any longer and kissed the top of her head fondly.

“You are certainly as charming as ever Felicity Smoak,” Nyssa informed her stiffly, although her lips were threatening to quirk into a tiny smile. “It appears Al Sah-him is still as enamored with you as always.” Both Oliver and Felicity blushed furiously at this statement, causing Nyssa to smirk at them.

“I have brought a picture of father as you both requested. Perhaps his appearance will rekindle some memories Felicity Smoak.” She handed Felicity the picture.

“Somehow from everything I’ve heard about your father I think I’m going to rekindle more nightmares than memories.” Felicity held the picture and stared at it long and hard. It did not shed any light for her other than a sense of relief that she had killed herself rather than hook up with the decrepit old man in the picture. The corpse verses the hunk. It was no wonder that Oliver told her Ra’s had tried to get Felicity to drone strike Oliver into oblivion. 

“Anything?” Oliver asked, without any expectation. It had been worth a try but he doubted Ra’s’ ugly old mug would rekindle any memories for Felicity.

“Nothing other than the observation that he looks evil and old and thank goodness I didn’t become his wife.” Felicity handed back the photo to Nyssa.

“Thanks for the photo Nyssa.” 

Felicity suddenly felt tired again. She made a mental note to ask Oliver when they were alone if she had often felt tired before she died or whether this was the Pit’s work. “I think I need to go have a lie down now Oliver. I’m feeling a bit queasy and tired again.” 

“What’s wrong? Does it hurt anywhere?” Oliver immediately stepped into her space and began to fawn over her.

“No, just sleepy and queasy. Nothing new. Can you take me back to my quarters so I can sleep it off?” Felicity grabbed onto his arm for reassurance. She had been feeling like a bit of a sook lately for no good reason and Oliver had been a great source of comfort for her. He didn’t seem to mind her sooking and was always so stoic and warm and reassuring. 

“Sure, of course. Please excuse us Nyssa.”

Nyssa stared at Felicity strangely like she wanted to say something but thought better of it. She gave them a curt nod and went off.

“Here put this on, it’s getting a bit windy.” Oliver unfastened the cloak he had been wearing over his League Robes and draped them over Felicity’s jacket.

 _Cloak, coat, thin coat, cloak, Oliver fastening a cloak on her, Felicity stomping her foot at him._ The images swirled around her head like scenes from a movie that she had seen many, many times before.

“Oliver you fastened a cloak on me and I stomped my foot at you? Did that happen Oliver? Did I imagine it or did that really happen?” Felicity grabbed onto his arms and look at him hopefully.

“Yes, yes it did!” Oliver practically shouted at her joyfully.

“That’s all I remember right now but it’s a start right! I remember something about us!" 

Oliver picked Felicity up and swung her around gently. He had made peace with the fact that she may never remember anything. Felicity would always be his Felicity but for her sake he was thrilled that she might be getting snippets of her memories back.

It was a beautiful scene in the picturesque gardens of the Palace with the handsome Disney Prince lookalike spinning his golden haired Princess around. That was until Felicity asked to be deposited back onto the ground and promptly threw up in the rose bushes. 

***

“She is with child,” Nyssa informed Oliver as soon as he had shut the door to Felicity’s chambers. Felicity was taking another much needed nap and Oliver had fully been aware that Nyssa was skulking outside. Oliver expected for her to demand he keep his end of the bargain and hand over the ring or have some sort of discussion about power and who was to rule over the League. What he had not expected was for this bombshell to be dropped on him. 

“Did you just say what I think you said?” Oliver shook his head in disbelief. Nyssa was blunt and prone to make direct statements out of the blue but this was odd even for her.

“There is no other conclusion to be made. Felicity’s Smoak’s symptoms including her nausea and increasing fondness of naps only lead to one possible outcome. I have been pondering how it could be that she; an ordinary girl survived the Pit without any changes to her temperament at all. The Pit restores life but it eats away at one’s soul leaving a person rabid or with uncontrollable bloodlust. It has struck me as being strange that she should survive with memory loss being the only repercussion.” 

“I’d say memory loss is a pretty big price to pay already. What are you saying Nyssa? That it’s unfair she hasn’t completely lost her mind and gone crazy as well.”

Nyssa paid him no mind and spoke again, excitement evident in her voice. “I have pored through all of father’s ancient texts and it is believed that one will only be spared by the Pit if one has a pure soul. Now as fond of Felicity Smoak as I am, none of us have a pure soul unless…” 

“Unless it’s a baby who hasn’t lived life yet,” Oliver finished Nyssa’s sentence for her. It all made sense to him now. When Felicity threw up the first few times he had chalked it down to the fact that she had been through such an ordeal and her body was still adjusting but deep down he knew something was off when she started throwing up more frequently and would go for days eating nothing but plain bread sporadically. Felicity loved her junk food and it was odd that bread was the only food she could keep down at certain times these days. 

“I send you my best wishes Al Sah-him. It appears that you have fathered an heir.” Nyssa bowed to him solemnly offering her well wishes. 

Oliver feeling alarmed by her choice of words quickly decided he needed to diffuse the situation immediately, to avoid any potential misunderstandings. “Thank you Nyssa. But he or she is not an heir to anything. Once we move away from here the baby, if there really is one, will just be an ordinary child. I need to break this news gently to Felicity somehow. She’s been through so much, dying, losing her memories and now a potential pregnancy.”

“Felicity Smoak is a warrior and will not back down from any challenge,” Nyssa replied graciously, Oliver’s response appeasing her immensely. “I hope your conversation is an enlightening one Al Sah-him.”

“Enlightening indeed,” Oliver mumbled to himself. Just how do you tell the love of your life, who doesn’t quite remember being the love of your life but is open to starting from the beginning with you again, that she is pregnant with your child? 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!
> 
> Sorry I haven't updated this story for a while! I was distracted writing all this other stuff plus I didn't want to disappoint you guys because we are near the end so I kinda balked and avoided writing it! hehe the chapter plan sat around for a month! 
> 
> Better late than never so I hope you enjoy it!

Oliver gave the door a few taps before tentatively opening it. Felicity was perched on her bed, looking rosier and with much better colouring after her nap. He had been in his private space, planning how to break the news to her while trying to curb his own joy and excitement at the same time. There was so much to process and he found himself torn between worrying about how this news would affect Felicity and how she was going to handle the situation going forward, while trying to contain all his hopes and dreams at the same time. He had never in his wildest dreams even dared to hope that he would become a father one day and to have a child with Felicity, it somehow felt like the universe was handing him everything he had ever wanted. But he was well aware that all this had been bestowed on him at the expense of Felicity. Her memory loss meant that a part of her was still very much the 19 year old of five years ago. That fact, combined with the trauma she had been through since, meant this was probably the worse thing that could happen to her right now. 

“Hey,” he smiled softly at her, as she scooted over to make space for him on the bed. “How are you feeling?” 

“Much better actually! My appetite has returned. I’m hungry for the first time in ages. Feel like a full meal for once.” She beamed at him and Oliver’s heart hurt a little as he thought of the news he was about to drop on her. 

“Felicity we need to talk.” He took her hands and wrapped his larger ones around them, squeezing gently as he tried to find the right words for what he was going to say next. Sitting there on the bed, gazing expectantly at him, she looked so young and vulnerable. She had become a bit gaunt over the past few weeks. 

“That doesn’t sound good. You look like you’re about to drop some bad news on me. Although I did die a few weeks ago so I don’t see how things could get any worse.” Felicity was trying her best to make light of the situation but he could see the uneasiness on her face.

“What I’m about to tell you next, it’s amazing news for me but I don’t know…I don’t know if it’s what you want right now.” He so badly wanted to be supportive, to be there for her and support her in whatever decision she made regarding her body. However the other part of him just could not take his mind off the images of a cheeky, chubby child, one with a head of gold curls, toddling around, giggling at him. It was all right there, everything he had ever wanted, neatly wrapped up in a package, waiting for him.

“Ok out with it Oliver. You certainly know how to get the suspense and intrigue going. What could possibly be good for you but bad for me?” She tilted her head and gave him a questioning and inquisitive look, her uneasiness from before had temporarily left her. He supposed he should regard that as a win for now.

“I…uh…I think you’re pregnant and I think you should take a pregnancy test. The throwing up, the extreme tiredness, at first I thought they were all affects of the Pit but everyone, everyone who has been revived by the Pit as come out like a rabid animal at worst or experienced bloodlust at best. What we couldn’t work out was why you lost a chunk of your memory but still remained very human and very much yourself. Nyssa has been doing some research, digging through Ra’s’ old manuscripts which state the only thing that will be spared by the Pit is a pure soul which means…” 

“I must be carrying a baby inside me so the effects were not as severe,” Felicity finished for him. “And that’s why you keep saying it’s great news for you but you’re not sure about me.” She paused for a moment to look at him, her expression unreadable. Finally she offered him a wry smile and asked, “Before you celebrate are you sure it’s yours?”

“I’m one hundred percent sure it’s mine Felicity.” He couldn’t help smiling back at her. It was such a Felicity thing to say. 

“But how?” she asked. Oliver raised an eyebrow at her question. 

“Well obviously I know how but I mean you told me we only had that one night together before you went off on your mission. What are the odds…actually I know what the odds are it just seems so unlikely. I mean one time and BANG. Baby in the tummy.”

“I said it was one night but I didn’t say it was one time Felicity,” Oliver couldn’t help teasing her. Felicity, remarkable as always, was taking this a lot better than he had thought and he couldn’t help letting his hope blossom that maybe she will keep this baby after all.

“That good huh,” Felicity responded, her cheeks growing pink as she eyed him up and down. “Why is my life so sucky that I do not remember any of this?” She flung herself back against her pillows and shook her head.

“Are you…do you need to talk about this? Are you ok?” He gave her hands another squeeze even though what he wanted to do desperately was to hold her in his arms.

As if reading his mind, Felicity shuffled over and deposited herself onto his lap. “I know we were trying to start over so I could get to know you but since I’m knocked up with your baby I figure we can step it up a few notches don’t you?" 

“I would be more than happy to step it up as many notches as you want Felicity,” Oliver smiled, wrapping his arms around her, his hand automatically settling on her tummy as he began to rub it fondly. “How are you coping though? It just feels like the hits keep coming for you and I want to know that you can tell me anything, anything at all.”

“It’s definitely overwhelming,” Felicity admitted. “It feels like I suddenly woke up and there is this whole other life I know nothing about. I should probably be freaking out more but the last thing I remember was you telling me the League wanted me and that I needed to run so in lieu of that I feel like I can accept all this crazy new information a bit better.” 

Oliver kissed the top of her head. It was strange how they had gone from tentatively trying to start over to where they are now, sitting there with her in his arms. “Felicity I want you to know that I will support you in whatever decision you decide to make with this baby. I’ll be honest and admit that I have never wanted anything in my life as badly as I want this baby, our baby. But I understand that you’re young, you have no recollection of anything, and hell you’re probably not even sure if you know me. So whatever you decide to do, you’ll always have me.”

Felicity was silent for a few minutes before a small smile bloomed on her face. “I think that I need to take a pregnancy test first Oliver. I promise you that even though I’m actually terrified as to how we’re going to get through this on a practical level, I do want our baby very much. But let’s make sure there is a baby because you’re looking like your entire happiness is riding on this right now.”

Unable to contain himself, Oliver gently tilted her face up and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “I love you. I love you so much.” He placed a finger on her lips before she could respond. “You don’t have to say anything back. You take all the time you need.” 

He kissed her again, this time on her forehead. “We’ll get through this Felicity. We’ll make it work. You killed Ra’s, died and came back to life. We can handle a new life and a baby.” 

“Definitely need to take a pregnancy test first thing,” Felicity chuckled as she snuggled into his arms. “Now tell me about that night we had together. How many times was it? And how slow are we taking this? Am I considered a tart if I sleep with you now before going on any dates since you’ve knocked me up already?” 

*** 

“Is there any chance we can ship these back?” Felicity eyed the little round table and wooden chair set with paw legs longingly. “These will look adorable wherever we decide to set up our new home.”

“That was what you said the first time round,” Oliver smiled at her. “You liked the rocking chair too.” Before he could finish his sentence she had already spotted the rocking chair and was rocking on it in delight.

“I am serious, can’t we convince Nyssa to let us ship these back on the jet? It’s not like she has any use for cute furniture than you built.”

“I’ll see what I can do about it, although Nyssa and I have never had the best of relationships. She’s more likely to do what you want. I think she’s charmed by you.”

Felicity rocked to and fro on the chair and closed her eyes. She could feel Oliver watching her. The pregnancy test had come back positive and they had decided to leave the League as soon as possible in order to set up a new life with their little tadpole, as she liked to call the baby in her stomach. She and Oliver had come down to this place, his lair for the purposes of packing up the remnants of his old life with the League but Felicity knew that although Oliver would never admit it, he was hoping that being down here would spark something in her and maybe trigger her memory or even another flash of memory.

She could see it on his face, even though he never said anything, never asked her if she remembered. They would go somewhere and a spark of hope would flicker in his eyes, only to fade away when it was obvious that she did not recall anything.

Felicity’s heart broke for him a little. It was obvious that he loved her so very much and they had been through so much together. In some ways she felt like she was a poor imitation of her former self and sometimes Felicity wondered if it was fair to tie him down. She was practically a stranger to him. Now they were having a baby together, he was stuck with her. The woman he loved was gone and he now had no choice but to be with her because he so badly wanted this baby.

Felicity turned away and discreetly tried to wipe the stray tears away from her eyes but there was no hiding anything from Oliver. He was always so hyper focused on her. Nothing escaped his sharp assassin eyes. He was beside her in an instant, wrapping his arms around her, comforting her in the soft gentle voice she noticed he reserved for whenever he thought she was distressed or upset. 

“Hey, hey what’s the matter Felicity? Why are you crying? What’s wrong?”

“I…I don’t remember anything. I’ve tried so hard and I know you brought me here hoping I would remember something but I just don’t remember anything at all except for that flash the other week. And I can see it in your eyes, you’re always hoping that I’ll get my memories back because you loved me, the old me but now we’re going to have a baby and you’re stuck with this other me. I just look like the girl that you love but I feel like I’m not her at all. You’re always going to be with me, hoping that I’ll remember something so you can have the Felicity you loved back. But Oliver what if I never regain any of those memories ever again? What if this is it for me? I sometimes feel like I’m another person and that if we stay together I’m not the girl you loved so deeply and passionately.”

“Shh,” Oliver cooed at her. “Oh Felicity honey. Is that what you’ve been thinking all this time?” He wrapped his arms tightly around her and buried his head in her hair, inhaling deeply before continuing.

“I keep hoping you’ll remember because it feels like so much has happened to you. You woke up to this whole other life that you have no recollection of, a baby that you didn’t sign up for and don’t remember having a hand in making. It’s been so hard and so unfair on you. I just want your life to be easier and that means getting your memories back.”

Felicity sniffled and cuddled further into his chest, letting out the sob she had been holding in. She didn’t know why she was feeling like this today. She was normally the sort of person who would push forward when things got rough. She thought she had been handling things rather well up until recently and had accepted the story of her death and renewed life without too much angst. Yet somehow this felt like something she wouldn’t be able to brush aside and move away from. Oliver and Tadpole were going to be her future and she felt like her doubts and insecurities were always going to plague her since she couldn’t up and leave for a fresh start.

She buried her face further into Oliver’s shirt and sobbed her little heart out. He rubbed her back for a while occasionally giving her little kisses on her head, waiting for her sobbing to subside before he spoke.

“You know I have always loved you. For the longest time I’ve loved you. About a year into my mission watching you, I fell in love with you. So it doesn’t matter to me if you remember the last few months. My feelings for you are so much more than that. I love you for who you are, I love everything about you, your little quirks, the faces you pull, the way you feel in my arms, the way you try to move forward no matter how hard things are. We still have an entire lifetime together Felicity. Do you think you can give me a chance Felicity? Do you think you could let yourself believe that I love you no matter what you do or don’t remember?"

Felicity let out another sniffle before nodding her head into his chest. 

***

“Do you not think it would be much wiser to stay here with the League and raise your little one?” Nyssa asked with genuine concern written all over her face. “We have access to the best League nannies. I was raised by one myself. And you need never worry about the child’s safety within these walls.” 

Felicity found herself fighting hard against the urge to smile. Nyssa looked so earnest. She meant well and Felicity could see that she really did think it would be best for Tadpole to be handed off to a League nanny under the watchful eye of a troop of assassins.

She launched herself at the stiff, dignified woman, giving her a big hug, eliciting a less severe expression from Nyssa.

“As I do not care to have children myself, I would be happy to make your progeny my Heir to the Demon,” Nyssa continued, with the air of one bestowing a great honour on Felicity. 

“I think we’ll pass up on that Nyssa. Tadpole’s going to be ordinary. Maybe a veterinarian or something one day.”

“As you wish Felicity Smoak,” Nyssa responding, before handing Felicity two briefcases. “A little gift from myself for your assistance in defeating my father.”

Felicity handed one briefcase to Oliver and together they both simultaneously opened the cases. The suitcase held by Oliver was completely filled with neatly lined crisp one hundred dollar bills while her own was filled with a collection of jewels made up of large diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds (these were the only ones that she could readily identify on first glance) that looked like they belonged to royalty.

“These were the jewels you would have been entitled to as father’s concubine,” Nyssa informed Felicity calmly, ignoring the fact that Felicity was staring at her like a stunned goldfish. No matter what had happened to her, Felicity felt like this place and these people would never cease to amaze and shock her. Strange events simply kept unfolding as evidenced by her currently standing there, holding a suitcase full of what reminded her of the Queen’s jewels. 

“I have no use for such trinkets and I believe they will aid you in your quest to start a new life,” Nyssa continued, completely nonplussed that she had just given Felicity possibly millions of dollars worth of jewelry.

“Err thank you Nyssa. That’s very generous.” Felicity smiled and gave Nyssa a pat on the arm. At this point it just made more sense to just roll with things. Nyssa clearly meant well and it did feel rude to keep refusing her offers.

“I apologise for my role in your death Felicity Smoak. I wish you a happy life with Al Sah-him.”

“Umm that’s alright,” Felicity smiled again and nodded awkwardly. Oliver simply took it in his stride and nodded at Nyssa.

“I shall send my own personal League nanny to assist you if you do not possess the skills to raise the child properly,” Nyssa called after them as they boarded the jet she had so generously lent them.

“Was that a threat?” Felicity whispered to Oliver once the doors had closed. 

“With her you never know,” Oliver responded.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okies I am going to keep plugging this because I have absolutely NO SHAME whatsoever =P
> 
> Read Palace!!!! Its my short LoA story! All completed! 
> 
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/11729529/chapters/26427426
> 
> hehe sorry to you poor souls who have read it already =P I love you all best!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!!!!!
> 
> *Group Hug*
> 
> It's all over! We've hit the end of another story once again *sniffles*
> 
> Thank you for all your support, comments and kudos! I'm getting the hang of answering comments now! It's been great fun chatting to you guys! 
> 
> And THANK YOU to those of you who went and read Palace! Big huggles to you for humouring me on that! You guys are the best! I do have a soft spot for that story!
> 
> I hope this ending lives up to your expectations and hope to see you again for my next story!

It was his favourite thing to do in the world, lounging around in bed, his back against the headboard with Felicity’s golden head resting against his chest as she chattered to him happily, cheerfully regaling her latest victories or quietly lost in thought when a piece of code had temporarily stumped her.

Today she was different though, today she was quiet but Oliver could tell it wasn’t the code bothering her; no it was something else entirely. “What’s going on in that big brain of yours,” he asked, placing a kiss on top of her head. She snuggled closer to him in response and closed her eyes, refusing to say anything.

“Talk to me,” he gently prodded again, his hand automatically moving to the bump on her belly as if to check and see whether Tadpole was happy or as melancholy as her mother. The scans Felicity undertook had revealed Tadpole to be a little girl much to Oliver’s delight. It always felt so surreal to him how happy he was, how suddenly he now had everything within his grasp. Felicity, this life with her, Tadpole, guys like him didn’t end up with this kind of life. Before he laid eyes on Felicity he had never pondered what happiness was. He went on missions and did Ra’s’ dirty work, he emerged victorious and he would bask in that high until the next task or mission. 

In his two years of watching her, in the very briefest of moments, he’d sometimes let himself fantasize of what it would be like if someone like him was loved by someone like her. He would always shut those thoughts down quickly as he had truly believed they were naïve and fanciful delusions on his part. Guys like him didn’t get the girl. Guys like him were destined to be alone and die alone. Yet here he was with his entire world in his arms and all he wanted to do was to make her smile, to lift whatever cloud it was that was hovering over his little ray of sunshine. 

“I love you,” he whispered softly into her ear when she still refused to answer him. “You know I love you so much right?”

“Why can’t I remember?” Felicity asked as she tried to sit up, shifting her six -month pregnant belly at the same time. Oliver gently helped pull her up and propped a pillow on the headboard behind her. She had gotten used to Oliver fussing over her by now and he was finding that his years of training and swift reflexes were proving to be very useful when he needed to seamlessly fuss over her without drawing her attention or ire.

“Felicity, I know it’s important to you honey and that you want to achieve some form of peace. But just remember that there were some pretty dark memories too. You sacrificed yourself and died. To be honest I don’t think remembering everything would bring you as much peace as you think it will. Although I’ve told you everything, in your mind, as far as you’re concerned you’ve never met Ra’s, your friendship with Nyssa isn’t tainted. But a lot of things happened during that time, things that you might alter your perception of people.”

He held onto her hands as he spoke, looking at her almost pleadingly. Oliver wanted to protect her, keep her safe and happy and was struggling with feelings of helplessness as far as this was concerned. There wasn’t anything he could do for her to make it better.

She removed one hand from his grasped and reached over to touch his cheek. “I want to remember, even all the horrible stuff because I want to remember how I fell in love with you. What it felt like that very first time.” 

Looking straight into his eyes Felicity continued, voicing the fears that continued to plagued her. “I can’t explain it but it’s just such a strange feeling for me. I woke up and couldn’t remember anything but then I felt this magnetic pull, this attraction to you like I’ve always loved you and loved you desperately. And then you told me about us, our love story and now I just really really want to remember how it all happened, what those feelings were like.”

Oliver leaned over and pressed his forehead against hers, his arms wrapping around her body once again. He loved this woman so much there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. It was killing him that he couldn’t swoop in to fix everything and that it was due to her saving him that she was in this predicament.

“It was a brief period of time in our lives Felicity. It was beautiful but it was fleeting and painful in parts. This is the start honey. We’ve been given another chance you and I. I know I can’t fix this but let’s try to make lots and lots of new memories so we can fill the void in you that’s left by those memories you lost.”

Felicity closed her eyes for a few seconds. When she opened them again, she looked at him with a renewed sense of purpose. “I love you. Do you know that? You always know how to make it better.”

“I try,” Oliver let out a relieved chuckle. “I love you so I try to make it better where I can. I assume most of the time I fail.” No matter what had happened she was Felicity. He could practically see her brain trying to shift these hang ups aside and move on somehow.

“Noooo you make me very happy,” Felicity assured him. She shuffled around until she was back with her head on his chest again. “I blame it on the pregnancy hormones. They’re making me dwell more than usual. But I think I’m done dwelling now. I still wish I could remember how we fell in love but I’m not going to cry about it anymore.”

“You cry if you need to. I’m always going to be here.”

***

“That’s all for today. See you all next week boys and girls.” Oliver bowed at the troop of twenty or so six year olds facing him, who all bowed back solemnly before sprinting towards their waiting parent, the previously quiet room suddenly now filling with laughter and chatter. 

Felicity, looking like spring personified in a pink shift dress with a flowery embroidered hem, looked up from her laptop and waved at him from the sofa he had kept in the space especially for her. Normally Felicity did her coding at home but tonight they were heading out to dinner in an effort fit in as many dates as possible before Tadpole was due to make her debut.

They had settled in a nice quiet neighborhood in Ivy Town where Oliver had realized that not only did he enjoy teaching martial arts to children, it was also an extremely lucrative business. With the funds Nyssa had gifted them, they had managed to buy a beautiful house in a quiet little street. There was literally a picket fence on their property and Oliver had used some of the funds to start his little school, teaching 5 to 16 yr. olds martial arts. It still amazed him how every single class was booked out. He was great with children much to his surprised delight and the parents were all so lovely and supportive as well, always staying to watch over and encourage their kids.

Felicity knew the real reason why Oliver’s classes were continuously booked out and why every single mother within the suburb and its surrounds made it her duty to show up for every class and watch intently while Master Oliver demonstrated his moves but she did not have the heart to tell him. Bless him, he really was fantastic with the kids, there was no need to point out that he was also a huge hit with the moms too.

As for Felicity she was content writing apps to make money on the side and keep herself occupied for now. With Tadpole on the way she had decided it was best to wait until Tadpole was born and they had settled into a bit of routine before she tried to dip her toe into the corporate world of working 9 to 5. There was also the business of an unaccounted 6-year gap that she needed to fix, she thought it was just easier to deal with it later. Writing apps for sale anonymously suited her just fine right now. Both she and Oliver operated on an extremely flexible timetable, which meant that they could devote as much time as they wanted to their little family. A complete family was something that neither of them had had before and as the days approaching Tadpole’s birth appeared, their excitement was slowly bubbling over, even for Felicity who had been very unsure and a little lost at first.

“You ready to go?” Oliver smiled as he strolled up to her in jeans and an extremely fitted T-shirt. His hair was still wet from the quick shower he had taken after class. Felicity resisted the urge to extend her hand and grab onto a clump of wet hair. Fortunately she had the equivalent of a giant melon attached to her front so it wasn’t like she could get up of this sofa without his help to grab him and have her wicked way with him anyway. How could someone look THAT good Felicity found herself thinking as she blinked and stopped herself from ogling so that she could have a coherent conversation with him.

“I want ice cream first,” she pouted. If she was going to be the tubby rotund one in this relationship she was going to live up to it and eat an ice cream cone before dinner.

“Anything you want baby,” Oliver cooed indulgently, a fond look lighting up his face and she found herself melting into a puddle of goo in that instant, all her indignant feelings about being fat fading away. Why the man looked at her like that was beyond her but Felicity often thought she could pick her nose or scratch her bottom and Oliver would still gaze at her like she hung the moon.

“Help the pregnant lady out of this chair?” she pouted at him again, knowing full well the effect her pouting had on him.

***

“You sit there and I’ll go get us the ice creams,” Oliver instructed, gently steering Felicity towards the bench. Why Felicity insisted on eating ice cream from a dubious looking ice cream truck was beyond him but the signage stated that they did also sell proper ice creams scooped from tubs of ice cream and Felicity had promised she wouldn’t go near the soft serve so he relented.

“Nono I need the walk,” Felicity protested. “You sit, I’ll go get the ice creams.” She waved him away and tried to make a beeline for the truck but he held onto her gently to prevent her from taking off. 

“Sit, rest those ankles,” Oliver commanded.

“Oliver the OB said I should exercise moderately and gently. And my ankles are fine! It’s like ten feet from here to the ice cream truck. What do you think is going to happen to me in that distance with you watching on?” She had her hands on her hips and was glaring at him with a particularly grizzly look on her face. She was so cute when she looked vicious. Like a fluffy rabid little bunny, Oliver smiled to himself.

“Fine, just be careful okay.” Felicity rolled her eyes exasperatedly to which he responded by sticking out his cheek. Trying to suppress a smile she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before toddling off towards the ice cream truck. 

***

Three seconds. Three seconds was all it took to potentially change the course of their lives forever. Felicity had bought and paid for their ice creams and was half way towards the bench when the smooth soled ballet slippers she wore slid under her feet, causing her legs to give way. Panic and fear struck her as her legs slipped and the thought briefly crossed her mind as to how she could fall without hurting Tadpole. Felicity braced for impact but never made contact with the ground. Rather a pair of strong arms, Oliver’s arms, engulfed her and she found herself being lifted up into the air.

This had happened before. A series of images flashed through her mind and suddenly she wasn’t sure where she was anymore. Was she in the middle of the park being carried by Oliver or was she being carried by Oliver as he was walking down a dark corridor. She remembered skidding headfirst on a polished floor but never quite hitting the ground.

Or was he carrying her to his cot in that little room. Suddenly she saw herself kissing him passionately before he lifted her up and carried her to the cot.

“Felicity, Felicity,” Oliver’s worried voice brought her back to reality and she found herself back on the bench, on his lap. She gave him a confused look to which he responded by holding her tightly.

“You ok honey? You slipped but I caught you in time and then you kind of spaced out. Felicity?”

“Oliver did I fall in Nanda Parbat? Did you catch me then as well? There was a dark corridor and I fell but you caught me and carried me. Did you carry me to the cot that night we made Tadpole?”

He nodded, watching her intently still looking extremely worried.

“Oliver I think that maybe I remember. Not everything but flashes of things. I had suitcases and I tripped and you just swooped in and carried me. Was that when we met again after five years?”

“Yes but don’t worry about all that. Are you alright? You didn’t hit anything but you must have gotten a shock to slip so suddenly. No more of these shoes with bad soles that don’t grip properly. We need to get you new shoes right away.”

“I’m fine I promise.” Felicity tried to give him her best reassuring smile. He was always fretting over her. She didn’t think all that stress was healthy for him but she supposed she did die on him once so he had cause to continually worry about her. She grasps his hands before speaking again.“I think I remember Oliver. Not everything but enough to get an inkling of what we were like.” 

“All you need to remember,” Oliver said gently tilting her face up and kissing her lips softly, “All you need to remember is how much I love you. Always Felicity.”

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo how was that? A bit cheesy huh?
> 
> I had this vision of how I wanted the final scene to play out! hehe 16 chapters to get to that scene!!!!!!
> 
> ***
> 
> More shameless plugging (because this is the only way I know how to promote my stuff =P )
> 
> So this story had a bit of angst to it. For those looking for pure fluffy and super super silly fun please give "Once Upon a Dream" a try!
> 
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/11931903/chapters/26969496


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